5 Rangers prospects are attending the World Juniors

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EDMONTON, AB – AUGUST 17: Players of United States discuss the play during the game against Czechia in the IIHF World Junior Championship on August 17, 2022, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Photo by Andy Devlin/ Getty Images) /

Noah Laba

New York’s only American prospect at this event is going to be one of the healthy extras for the United States. Laba is on the American roster for this event. With the 111th overall pick of the 2022 NHL entry draft attending the American camp, there will be a good ol’ American kid to root for. Though he’s not exactly a New York local being from Northville, Michigan, he is representing the Red, White, and Blue.

Laba is not one of the household names of the prospect pool of the Blueshirts. He’s a solid prospect, but he’s not held in the highest regard within the fanbase because he arguably doesn’t have the upside that some of the other prospects in the system do. With the Rangers’ fourth-rounder making the USA team, there will be a chance for him to potentially impress the watching fan base.

At 6’2, 190 lbs, Laba is a prospect with size and those always make for fun players to watch. Undersized players can have ups and downs but there will always be a role in a lineup for a big-body player like Laba, even when he isn’t perhaps the most talented kid in the locker room. This isn’t to say that there isn’t skill and talent to how Laba plays, just that he’ll always have that swiss army knife option.

Going to the World Juniors for the United States is not something that every player gets to do, and Laba will get to represent the USA. If he gets into games, it’s going to be worth watching him but do not expect him to be a regular in the US team lineup. He’s been listed as one of the healthy extras for the tournament but you never know how things like this go. All it takes is a single Covid outbreak.

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