Cole Beaudoin's electric AHL start gives Rangers intriguing Joe Veleno replacement option

The New York Rangers made a point to sign Joe Veleno this offseason to hold things down as the fourth-line center, and an early injury could force the team to dip into their minor league depth and promote a youngster off to a hot start. Cole Beaudoin was acquired in the Vincent Trocheck trade, and after putting up five points (one goal and four assists) in his first two career AHL games, he could be a very real answer to the team's immediate problem.

Veleno leaves Sunday's game with injury

Veleno was helped to the dressing room by Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson after suffering an injury in the first period. The veteran center went to hit Clayton Keller and ended up going into the boards. He was unable to put pressure on his right leg, and there was no immediate update on his status.

Rangers could, but likely won't, promote Beaudoin

I don't expect the Rangers to promote Beaudoin this quickly given how they handled Gabe Perreault carefully last year, but it would be interesting to give him a taste of NHL action considering that the Rangers already have a capable fourth-line center on the roster. Noah Laba was an unexpected success story last season, and he got his start on the fourth line. He would eventually be promoted to line three, and even had some moments as a second-line center.

Beaudoin is more of a skill and finesse player than Laba is, and while the third line is still part of the bottom six, I would be interested to see how his game meshes with Will Cuylle and Eeli Tolvanen who have some offensive upside. This highlight from Sunday's game just speaks to how hard of a worker Beaudoin is, and he's certainly looking like a player who wants to fast-track to the NHL as soon as possible.

That would result in a line of Laba, Oliver Bjorkstrand and one of Jaroslav Chmelař and Matt Rempe depending on how Mike Sullivan is feeling.

Juuso Parssinen is likely the next man up

Parssinen spent 20 games on the Rangers roster last year, and 11 the year before that. In that span he's put up paltry underlying numbers including a 44.05 CF% and 42.9 xGF% in 175 minutes at 5v5 last year per Evolving-Hockey. He has 157 games of NHL experience, and in a low-leverage role the Rangers know what they are going to get.

New York is generally pretty risk averse, and even though Parssinen hasn't deserved to remain in the NHL, he knows Sullivan's system and can step in as a temporary placeholder until they know more about Veleno's status. Center depth is an issue the Rangers ultimately need to address, and it's for that reason it would be more beneficial to give Beaudoin a look.

A short stint would give them a sense of how close he is to being NHL ready, and that would in turn inform what type of depth they need to acquire. I know he isn't their first-round pick, but if Alberts Smits at 18 can get some NHL experience, I don't see why the same can't apply to Beaudoin.

It is obvious that they would benefit from adding a No. 1 center who pushes everyone else on the depth chart down a rung, but that type of players aren't available this time of year. That is... unless Dylan Larkin has a change of heart about becoming a New York Ranger.

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