Noah Laba’s offseason involves more than just training as he’s picked up a new hobby

There have been plenty of discussions about what the New York Rangers' coaches and players said during locker-room cleanout day. As is the case with any team, the head coaches and the star players caught all the headlines. However, what was lost was the interesting comments that Noah Laba made during his media availability. He was very candid about how he felt his first season in the NHL went.

More importantly, he talked about his plans for the offseason. He said that his main goal was to focus on his shooting and stick skills. He hopes to become a better offensive player, allowing him to produce more. If Laba focuses on this and becomes a more productive offensive player, it will be a major benefit for the Rangers. It will make the Rangers a much stronger lineup.

Noah Laba is trying to become a more versatile forward

Laba was solid during his first season in the NHL. In 74 games, he racked up nine goals and 15 assists for 24 points, with 110 hits, 39 blocked shots, and 12 takeaways. His advanced metrics were decent, according to Natural Stat Trick: 45.88 CF%, 48.16 SCF%, and 45.46 xG%. He also allowed 367 scoring chances and 158 high-danger chances. Now these numbers don't jump off the page, but considering it was his first real taste of professional hockey, it's pretty impressive.

Offense was never a strength of Laba's game. Throughout his time as a prospect, all the praise was on his ability to be a shutdown forward. He excelled on defense and brought strong physical play. He was seen as someone who could be on the third line as part of a shutdown line. He also had upside as a penalty killer. But if he can improve his offense, he can be a more well-rounded forward. This will give the bottom six an offensive edge.

This will drastically improve Laba's ceiling. Many believe that Laba's ceiling is that of a third-line center. He will always be a defensive-first player and will be a bottom-six forward. While this is a very important role, it is not the flashiest. It does not lead to the recognition and the big payday that more offensive-minded players have. But his continued development on offense could see him become more of a middle-six player. He could easily find time on the second line next season.

This also aligns with what Mike Sullivan was looking for this offseason. One of the areas Sullivan talked about improving this summer was having the bottom six forwards take some of the special teams assignments, so it's not all on the top six. This fits exactly what Laba is trying to do. If he is better on offense, then he will be more effective on the team's power play. He may not be able to take on power play one responsibilities, but can definitely be on the second unit.

While Laba will need to go out on the ice and prove it, this is a very good goal for him to have. He will become a more versatile player and potentially be part of the team's next core. Laba also has some off-ice goals as well, he is trying to learn to play guitar and spend less time on his phone.

It is good to see that Laba is taking the view that he can get better in multiple ways, and the hope that this can translate onto the ice next fall.

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