Rangers prospect Noah Laba impresses veteran, making case for NHL role

One of the most promising signs from the New York Rangers' preseason so far has been the play of their young prospects. Guys like Gabe Perreault and Scott Morrow have put on a show during the first two preseason games and are making a strong push to make the opening night roster. However, while Perreault and Marlow are getting all the attention, Noah Laba has quietly been making a name for himself.

After the Rangers' 5-4 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday, defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov was singing the praises of the 4th round pick. He mentioned that he felt Laba had played his role perfectly and had been working very hard in practice. This is high praise from a seasoned NHL vet and raises Laba's stock. While he's still likely to start the season in Hartford, this strong preseason could help him get a callup sooner than later. But what role would Laba fill on the roster?

Noah Laba could be a perfect fit in the Rangers bottom six

The praise Gavrikov gave to Laba stems from his goal on Tuesday night. While on the penalty kill, Matej Blumel of the Bruins couldn't handle a pass, causing him to lose the puck. Laba rushed to recover the puck and went on a breakaway. He was able to get the puck into the zone along the right side and found Gavrikov in the center of the zone. Gavrikov snuck the puck under Joonas Korpisalo's pad for the short-handed goal.

That was not the only assist Laba had, as he was also credited with a secondary assist on Trey Fix-Wolansky's goal in the first period. He now has three assists during the preseason, which leads the team. These three assists are also good enough to lead the team in points. While it is just preseason, it's a very encouraging sign. It shows that Laba can make an impact at the next level.

While the top six for the Rangers are pretty much cemented, the bottom six have a lot of question marks. Currently, they are projected to have Juuso Parssinen and Sam Carrick as the two bottom-six centers. Both can be solid NHL contributors, but they have room for improvement. They've also struggled at points throughout their careers. If they get off to another slow start, and Laba continues this strong play in the AHL, the Rangers can call him up without having to hope the two veterans figure it out.

Having Laba in the lineup, the Rangers are no longer forced to put Matt Rempe in the lineup. Although Rempe is a fan favorite and brings a great physical presence, his skills are lacking in every other aspect of the game. He's pretty much a liability to run out there night after night. Laba, on the other hand, can bring that physical presence and still be a positive contributor in every other aspect. It makes the roster deeper without sacrificing toughness and physical play.

Although Laba has a lot of work to do before he's earned a spot on the Rangers roster, he's off to a good start. He could be on Broadway much sooner than expected.