At the 178th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry draft, the New York Rangers drafted center Dylan Roobroeck. This was the first forward that the Rangers opted to select on day two of the draft and only the second one they took after Gabriel Perreault in round one at 23 overall. This is a player that the Rangers would have been able to see a lot of since he plays his junior hockey in the OHL with the Oshawa Generals.
In his most recent season in the Ontario Hockey League, the London, Ontario native produced 15 goals and 38 assists for 53 points in 58 games. This isn’t earth-shattering but for a pick in the sixth round, there’s enough to like about him. Clearly, the offensive side of the game is something that comes easily to Roobroeck and the Blueshirts need center prospects for the future when Zibanejad, Trocheck, and Chytil cannot carry the load anymore.
However, that production is not why they drafted him. Roobroeck is 6’7 and 205 lbs. This is a fridge on skates and that brutal size aspect is going to be attractive for a lot of management cores, especially one that is still somewhat stuck in the past when evaluating prospects like the New York Rangers group is. That size to go with some somewhat quick feet is a scary combination of attributes to have.
That brutal size is a promising sign for the future and the Rangers seem to want size and muscle in this draft class as they opt to pass over some of the smaller guys that perhaps have a little more skill or upside in the eyes of scouts. If Roobroeck is able to use that size to lay the body and press the issue when it comes to the physical aspect, it’s a pick that the Rangers could reap the rewards of.