When discussing the prospects of the New York Rangers, the one who frequently draws the headlines is Gabe Perreault of Boston College. He's been an excellent member of the Eagles, but today, our attention turns to the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League to talk about a big Canadian left winger. We touch on the fifth-round pick of the Rangers from the most recent NHL draft as we speak about big Nathan Aspinall and his season.
At 6'7 "and 197 lbs, this is undoubtedly a large man. In his first year with the Flint Firebirds, aged just 16, Aspinall scored a single goal and three assists for four points during his 29 games with the Firebirds. That's what you expect from someone so young. Transitioning to a new family from Markham, his hometown, to Flint and a new league that plays faster will take time. Time was always going to help him develop there.
Draft year to now
Last season was his draft year, and he impressed enough for a storied franchise like the Rangers to be willing to take a punt on the giant forward. He scored 18 goals with 16 assists for 34 points in his second entire season in the Ontario Hockey League. It flashed a sign of scoring prowess, but players often overperform in their draft year, so seeing how he developed in the coming seasons would be a case.
Well, this year, Aspinall has shown himself to be a significant contributor to the Flint Firebirds' success. In 48 games this year, Aspinal has 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points. He's on pace for 17 goals and 28 helpers for 45 points if he plays every remaining game of the Firebirds season. That's the kind of player the Rangers need for their bottom six if he can continue his strong development curve.
However, hockey is not all about production and size. It's about what Aspinall does with it. While he isn't prone to taking the Matt Rempe approach of hitting anything that moves, he's found a better use. He sits in front of the net with the wing span of an NBA player and deflects pucks toward the net to force rebounds and scoring chances for his linemates. If this seems familiar, it's the Chris Kreider role.
NHL Arrival
While I've emphasized that he's got great talent and a high skill level, it is important to remember that he's still years away from making the NHL. He's ineligible for the AHL due to the stupid agreement between the NHL and CHL, which forces eligible players to return to the Canadian Junior leagues for financial purposes. So he'll need to serve that and probably require a few years in the AHL before he is ready for an NHL role.
However, that does not mean this is a bad player by any stretch of the imagination. He's not be challenging for a roster spot in the next few years, but the Rangers know there is support coming for the bottom six in the future. It'll be after prospects like Brennan Othmann, Gabe Perreault, and Brett Berard have made their way into the NHL, freeing up space for an elevated role in the AHL for Aspinall to show off his skills.