Rangers’ lack of depth down the middle could create big opportunity

The New York Rangers are expected to start Mika Zibanejad on the wing to open up the 2025-26 NHL season, and doing so creates a significant drop in talent from the top six to the bottom six. There are no great options among the names who played NHL minutes last season, and the Rangers will likely spend the beginning of the season rotating options in hope of finding the right fit. That is, unless, a prospect makes enough noise in training camp and the preseason.

The Rangers' center depth present an opportunity for Laba to steal a roster spot

Noah Laba will finish rookie camp this week, and will then try to earn an NHL job with a strong performance in main camp.

His goal will be to show that he belongs against NHL talent, and that the Rangers should give him a shot to open the season and occupy the spot that could be held by Juuso Parssinen.

Parssinen shouldn't automatically be penciled in for a third-line spot

Parssinen joined the Rangers at the trade deadline when Ryan Lindgren was dealt to Colorado, and he has 137 games of NHL experience to date. The Rangers are his third NHL team, and in 11 games he finished with a line of 2-3-5 while skating 9:46 a game. He got off to a great start in his rookie season with the Nashville Predators by scoring six goals and adding 19 assists for 25 points in 45 games. If you project that across an 82-game season, that is a 45 point pace which is exceptional for a third-line center. The problem is that he has just 28 points in the 92 games that have followed.

Laba is just getting started, but so far so good

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. He already has 11 games under his belt, and in a short sample he scored three goals and added two assists.

There could be some hesitancy to start him in the NHL because he has limited experience, as he only appeared in 100 NCAA games. But Laba held his own with Colorado College scoring 41 goals and assisting on 44 others for 85 points across three seasons.

At the very least, I'd expect the Rangers to utilize the preseason to see how Laba looks against NHL competition and other AHL players fighting for a spot. They already have some insight into what Parssinen is capable of, and know that they can use him to occupy NHL minutes. But if Laba looks comfortable and is able to contribute, there's no harm in letting him start the season at the NHL level.

It is more than likely that he will spend more minutes in the AHL than he does the NHL, but why not stick with him until it becomes clear he's overwhelmed? In any case, the upcoming training camp and preseason will reveal whether or not he's ready. And if the answer is sending him to Hartford, so be it. Center depth is something the Rangers will need to upgrade as they look to solidify their status as a Stanley Cup contender, and if they are able to do it internally, it would be a big win for President and General Manager Chris Drury. Laba has a great opportunity ahead of him, and it's up to him to force the front office to make a tough decision.