Though the New York Rangers finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, there were some positives this season, including the strong play of a few rookies. One of their most consistent rookies was center Noah Laba, who played well on the third line and will be an important player for them moving forward.
Performance in 2025-26
The Rangers drafted Laba in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and the 6-foot-3, 214-pound center spent the next three seasons playing for Colorado College. He had 11 goals and 11 assists in 35 games in 2022-23, 20 goals and 17 assists in 36 games in 2023-24, and 10 goals and 16 assists in 29 games in 2024-25. After his junior season, he made the jump to play professionally and had three goals and two assists in 11 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2024-25.
Laba played well in the 2025-26 preseason and earned a spot in the opening night lineup over a few prospects and veterans like Jonny Brodzinski. Laba looked comfortable in the NHL, played with physicality, did a nice job on faceoffs, and made strong defensive plays.
The Rangers got off to a frustrating start as they played better defensively than in 2024-25 and got great goaltending, but did not score enough goals to consistently win games. Laba did not score much early in the season, but he had his first two points on assists in a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 11 and scored his first goal in a 5-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Oct. 26. His strong defensive play helped him earn consistent ice time, and he also became one of New York’s penalty killers.
Laba struggled a little bit late in the first half of the season, but played very well after the Olympic break. He had three goals and two assists in a five-game stretch in March. He missed a few games with a lower-body injury but returned and played well alongside fellow rookie forwards Adam Sykora and Jaroslav Chmelar.
Laba ended the season with nine goals, 15 assists, 110 hits, and 43 blocked shots in 74 games, while winning 50.8 percent of his faceoffs. He used his speed and size to forecheck effectively and drove to the front of the net. He also spent time on the second power-play unit and had three goals and two assists on the man advantage.
Role Next Season
While the Rangers have three veteran centers in Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck, they frequently moved one to winger and played Laba on the third line. He will likely begin next season in the same role, and he has the tools to be a shutdown defensive center.
The Rangers played much better later in the season, when they called up more rookies and played rookies like Laba, Gabriel Perreault, and Matthew Robertson in bigger roles. If Laba can produce a little bit more offensively, he has the potential to move into the top six. He can also contribute on special teams, and he should continue to get ice time on the second power-play unit and the penalty kill.
Laba’s strong defensive play earned him more ice time as the season went on, and he was someone who could be trusted in all situations. He averaged 13:28 in ice time per game and could see that number increase next season, especially if the Rangers decide to trade one or more of their veteran forwards.
Overall Grade
Laba gets a B for his play during his rookie season. Though he did not produce gaudy numbers offensively, he was steady and used his speed and strength effectively, both offensively and defensively. The hope is that he can continue to provide reliable defensive play while continuing to improve offensively.
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