This has been a frustrating and disappointing season for the New York Rangers, but they have played well recently, and have gotten a spark from their young forwards who have gotten consistent ice time. Their rookies have stepped up and helped them win five of their past six games, and their strong play is an encouraging sign as the offseason approaches.
Gabe Perreault and Noah Laba Have Had Strong Rookie Seasons
Rookie center Noah Laba had three strong seasons for Colorado College and recorded 10 goals and 16 assists in 29 games with them last season. He then made his professional debut with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) late last season and had three goals and two assists in 11 games. He played well in the preseason and earned a spot in the Rangers’ opening-night lineup this season.
Laba has spent the majority of the season as the Rangers’ third-line center, and he has made the transition to the NHL smoothly. At 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds, he plays with physicality, is a fast skater, and has been strong defensively, including on the penalty kill. He went through a scoring slump heading into the Winter Olympic break, but he has provided strong defensive play all season and chipped in three goals and four assists in his last 12 games. This season, he has nine goals and 14 assists in 70 games, and has won 50.6 percent of his faceoffs.
Gabe Perreault had an excellent sophomore season at Boston College last season, finishing with 16 goals and 32 assists in 37 games. He then signed with the Rangers and played five games for them late in the season, but was held without a point. He bounced back and forth between the Hartford Wolf Pack and New York early this season and had 10 goals and seven assists in 20 games in the AHL.
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After getting called back up in December, Perreault established himself as one of the Rangers’ top forwards, and he has formed chemistry playing on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere. He has also produced offensively when he has gotten opportunities on the power play. He makes smart plays with and without the puck, has a good wrist shot, and is one of New York’s best playmakers.
Perreault broke out with a hat trick in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on April 4. He gave New York a 2-0 lead late in the second period as he found space in the slot and scored on a wrist shot. He then made it 3-0 with a power-play goal on a give-and-go with Jonny Brodzinski in the third period, and completed the hat trick with an empty net goal. He has 10 goals and 15 assists in 45 games.
Recent Call Ups: Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora
While Perreault has established himself as a top-six forward, the Rangers have also gotten contributions from gritty wingers, including Jaroslav Chmelar. The 6-foot-4, 226-pound 22-year-old has played with physicality and also shown that he can chip in offensively, as he has driven to the front of the net, and he scored on a deflection in the win over the Red Wings on April 4.
Chmelar has played in 24 games, and though he is averaging just 8:45 of ice time per game, he has been noticeable and made the most of his opportunities. He has two goals and two assists in his last six games, four goals and two assists on the season, and is starting to earn more ice time.
While playing for Hartford during the past three seasons, Chmelar formed chemistry with Adam Sykora, who also earned a call-up to the Rangers late in this season. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound forward has played with physicality, used his speed to get in on the forecheck, and made the most of his scoring chances. He drove to the net and scored off a nice pass from Laba in New York’s 8-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on April 5. He has three goals and one assist in seven games while averaging 11:48 of ice time per game.
The Strong Play of the Rangers’ Rookies Is Encouraging
Though this season has not gone as planned for the Rangers, their rookies’ strong play has been encouraging. Perreault has the potential to become a star, Laba is already a reliable two-way center, and Chmelar and Sykora have done an excellent job playing together as bottom-six wingers. Their impressive play late in this season should help them develop and continue to improve as they look to help the team have a better 2026-27 season.
