Do the Rangers risk losing Morgan Barron?

The New York Rangers’ best unsigned forward prospect is arguably Morgan Barron.  The question is whether he will turn pro this summer and start his career as a Blueshirt. If he doesn’t, they could lose him.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown monkey wrenches into all things hockey. With the rest of the season in doubt and the league wrestling with a playoff format, there are a slew of decisions that have to be made.  Some New York Rangers prospects have to make decisions as well.

When K’Andre Miller jumped and signed his entry level contract as soon as Wisconsin was eliminated from the NCAA postseason, anticipation grew that other prospects would follow suit.  Fellow first rounder Nils Lundkvist was a sure fire candidate to come over from Sweden.  But for Ranger fans, it was Morgan Barron they were waiting for.

Barron was a late round draft pick, going 174th overall in the sixth round in 2017.  In three seasons at Cornell University, Barron has established himself as one of the best centers in NCAA hockey.  He’s one of the most important players on top ranked college team in the nation.

When the virus ended the season, Cornell was poised to go into the NCAA playoffs, make it to the Frozen Four and win a national title.

What he brings

Morgan Barron has size at 6’3″ and 217 pounds.   He finished his junior year with 14 goals and 32 points in 28 games.  While he wasn’t at to the top in any offensive category, he was consistently one of the better players when it came to goals, assists, points, plus/minus and shots taken per game.  His faceoff winning percentage was 56%.  He was named the ECAC Player of the Year.

In looking at the centers on the Rangers’ depth chart, Barron is clearly the most ready to make the jump to the pros and would immediately be a contender for a spot on the NHL roster.  He’s not a teenager as he turned 21 in December.

His decision

The crucial decision for Barron is whether he wants to return to Cornell for his senior year.  With much of the team returning, they would be a favorite for a national title and that could sway his decision.

There’s no reason to believe that Barron will regress as a senior and four years of college hockey will only make him better prepared for the rigors of pro hockey.

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The COVID-19 pandemic further complicates things.  There is a question of when college hockey will resume.  Universities and colleges haven’t been able to even commit to a fall semester yet, and sports is hardly in the conversation.  That said, Cornell is in upstate New York where the virus hasn’t been prevalent.  Tompkins County has had only 128 confirmed cases as of May 2 with no resident deaths.  But that raises the question of whether the arrival of over 21,000 students from throughout the world would be advisable.

Another issue is the NHL season.  With the league determined to finish out the 2019-20 campaign, that would mean a delayed start to the 2020-21 season.  Barron could play his senior year including the NCAA playoffs, sign an entry level contract and get some meaningful time in as a pro, burning off a year of eligibility.   ELC’s for a 22 year old are for only two years so it would get him close to a bigger payday sooner.

There are a lot of reason for Barron to return to Cornell for his senior year, but there is one that has some dire consequences for the Rangers.