3 players who could make a statement in Rangers’ first preseason game

New York Rangers hockey is officially back after 157 days as the NHL preseason officially opens up against the New Jersey Devils. It is the first of six games the team will play in the preseason, a time in which rookies and veterans alike will look to impress Mike Sullivan in order to earn a spot in the regular season. During this time there will be many different lineups used, and as we get closer to the regular season the battles will tighten. Still, today provides an opportunity for a number of players. With that in mind, here's three players who could make a statement in the Rangers' first preseason game.

Noah Laba

Laba turned 22 on August 4, and the 6'2", 192-pound pivot is in line to skate top-six minutes for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. That doesn't mean he doesn't have an outside shot at earning an NHL job if he goes on a big run in the preseason. Laba held his own with Colorado College scoring 41 goals and assisting on 44 others for 85 points across three seasons. In addition to that, he scored three goals and added two assists in his 11 games with the Pack to end the 2024-25 season. This is the type of game, against some lower level preseason talent, you'd want to see Laba really standout in a significant way.

Dylan Roobroeck

The Rangers are a team that has had big players on their roster in recent years, and at some point soon Roobroeck could be the next one to make a sizable impact. Roobroeck stands 6'7", weighs 205 pounds and was a sixth round pick back in 2023 who didn't have a spectacular performance in his draft year. What he's done since that point should have fans excited. In his D+1 season, Roobroeck took a step forward and improved to 26-46-72 in 68 games played. He debuted for the Wolf Pack in the AHL last season and put up a 20-goal campaign, while adding 14 assists, for 34 points in 72 games. He's all but assured a return to the AHL, but it will be interesting to see how he holds against more established talent. He could be a diamond in the rough for the Rangers over the long term, and has been quite an intriguing prospect thus far.

Brennan Othmann

This is what I'd call the "chalk" pick as the most likely player fans are going to watch out for and/or expect to have a good start to the preseason. Othmann did not make the Blueshirts' opening night roster last season, and suffered an injury during the third game of the Wolf Pack's season which derailed him and prevented him from getting recalled to the NHL when a spot opened up in November.

During the 27 AHL games in which he appeared, Othmann posted a line of 12-8-20, and he joined the Rangers for 22 games. Othmann then went on to average 9:52 a nigh in those 22 games and finished with just two assists. Othmann had a goal and three assists during the Rangers' rookie showcase against the Flyers, and this is a crucial preseason for him. Getting off to a great start is vital if he wants to make the opening night roster, and at this point in his career it could be a now or never moment for the 2021 first round draft pick.