{"id":266516,"date":"2025-09-30T12:42:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T12:42:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/266516\/"},"modified":"2025-09-30T12:42:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T12:42:12","slug":"rangers-preseason-stock-up-stock-down-report-surging-noah-laba-continues-to-impress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/266516\/","title":{"rendered":"Rangers preseason stock up, stock down report: Surging Noah Laba continues to impress"},"content":{"rendered":"

ELMONT, N.Y. \u2014 The biggest New York Rangers news of the day came not from their preseason game on Long Island but back at the Tarrytown training center, where J.T. Miller left the ice with a lower-body injury. The captain appeared to suffer it while diving for a loose puck. He skated off the ice on his own power but did not return.<\/p>\n

In good news for both the Rangers and Miller, he avoided any serious injury. He might even be healthy enough to skate at Tuesday\u2019s practice. If he can\u2019t, he\u2019ll be considered day to day.<\/p>\n

Sam Carrick, who also has a lower-body injury, went through morning skate Monday but didn\u2019t play in the evening out of precaution. He\u2019s also day to day. The Rangers can still hope for a fully healthy opening-night lineup in a week.<\/p>\n

With the regular season creeping closer, general manager Chris Drury made a round of cuts, releasing Andrej \u0160ustr from his professional tryout and sending Jaroslav Chmelar, Jackson Dorrington, Case McCarthy, Adam S\u00fdkora and Kalle V\u00e4is\u00e4nen to AHL Hartford. The team also put Anton Blidh, Justin Dowling, Trey Fix-Wolansky and Derrick Pouliot on waivers. That brings the roster down to 37 players.<\/p>\n

In game action, the Rangers won 3-2 in overtime against the New York Islanders, who played most of their NHL players, including Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat and No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer, and the Rangers dressed a group lacking its top forwards and defensemen. Igor Shesterkin played, though, and was excellent, stopping 21 of the 22 shots he saw over two periods. Juuso P\u00e4rssinen, Will Cuylle and Noah Laba scored for the Rangers.<\/p>\n

The regular season begins in one week, and plenty of Rangers are still vying for roster spots. New York has let players perform their way onto the opening-night roster in recent years, with Cuylle making the team in fall 2023 and Victor Mancini getting a nod last year. Here\u2019s a look at how a few players have shifted their stock so far this preseason.<\/p>\n

Stock up: Noah Laba<\/p>\n

If anyone has made an impression this camp, it\u2019s Laba, who scored the overtime winner Monday. A scout with another NHL club said going into camp that Laba would contend for a roster spot if his team had him, and the 22-year-old has made a compelling case for the Rangers. Ranked No. 6 in our preseason Rangers prospect rankings<\/a>, the center has played in all four preseason games and has a team-leading 5 points. Veterans Vincent Trocheck and Vladislav Gavrikov raved about him after his recent performances. He\u2019s a strong skater and has killed penalties in the preseason, assisting on Gavrikov\u2019s short-handed goal against the Boston Bruins last week.<\/p>\n

After playing against lineups blended with AHL and NHL players most of the preseason, Laba had his toughest test yet Monday. He frequently was on the ice against the Islanders\u2019 top line (Anthony Duclair-Mathew Barzal-Kyle Palmieri) and top defensive pair (Alexander Romanov-Tony DeAngelo), and his numbers reflected that. The Rangers had only 8.06 percent of the expected goal share with him on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, much harder than the competition we\u2019ve had so far,\u201d he said after the game. \u201cDefinitely a little bit of an adjustment. Those guys are really good, especially when they get in the O-zone, start cycling on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew that they had a pretty strong lineup in tonight, so we knew it was going to be a pretty big test for us and give our young players an opportunity to see how they do against NHL players,\u201d Sullivan added. \u201cI thought Labs did a good job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though challenged with more difficult opponents, Laba\u2019s game ended impressively. In overtime, Gabe Perreault \u2014 who has also had \u201ca really strong camp,\u201d Sullivan said \u2014 led him into the offensive zone with a pass. Laba cut across goalie David Rittich and backhanded the winner into the net.<\/p>\n

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Laba with a beauty for the OT winner. \ud83e\udd29 pic.twitter.com\/g8s7x3OLx7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Rangers might deem Laba in need of more AHL seasoning before getting a regular-season chance, but New York looks like it\u2019s found a player.<\/p>\n

Stock up: Conor Sheary<\/p>\n

Sullivan has spoken highly of the 33-year-old Sheary, who is on a PTO. The Rangers have controlled the expected goal share and shot attempts with him on the ice at five-on-five, and he looks like he still has NHL games left in him. New York could look into signing him as a third-line winger or even a 13th forward, though the latter would likely come at the expense of Jonny Brodzinski, a reliable fill-in the past two seasons.<\/p>\n

Stock up: Braden Schneider<\/p>\n

Schneider had surgery to repair a torn labrum at the end of last season and made his return to game action Monday. The fact he\u2019s healthy puts him in the \u201cstock up\u201d section, and Sullivan also indicated he\u2019ll get lots of playing time this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we were to rank our defensemen top to bottom, we believe that Schneids is amongst the top four,\u201d the coach said.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean he\u2019ll necessarily be in the top two pairs, Sullivan said. The staff can spread out the team\u2019s defensemen, put Schneider on the third pair and get him extra minutes through special teams and by moving him up in the lineup situationally.<\/p>\n

Stock neutral: Juuso P\u00e4rssinen<\/p>\n

The Rangers made it clear they were going to give P\u00e4rssinen a look to be their third-line center. He hasn\u2019t raised his stock like Laba, but he also hasn\u2019t hurt it either, and is starting from a higher point as an established NHLer. He and Cuylle had a nice two-man rush against the Islanders in which P\u00e4rssinen drove to the net and beat out ex-Ranger Tony DeAngelo for a rebound goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing that comes to mind is responsible,\u201d Cuylle said of P\u00e4rssinen. \u201cHe manages the puck well and is good defensively. Sometimes people may overlook his offense because he\u2019s such a good defensive player.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Rangers almost certainly won\u2019t carry Laba if he\u2019s the No. 13 forward; he needs to be playing games. To make the team, he\u2019ll likely have to beat out P\u00e4rssinen, whom Sullivan has flanked with NHL players throughout camp. P\u00e4rssinen signed a two-year extension ($1.25 million average annual value) over the summer, and, unlike Laba, would require waivers to go to the AHL.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s getting more comfortable with how we\u2019re trying to play,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cHe hasn\u2019t really killed penalties his whole career, and we\u2019ve got him killing penalties. \u2026 I do think he\u2019s making progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through four preseason games, he still feels like the favorite to start the year as the Rangers\u2019 3C.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Juuso P\u00e4rssinen celebrates a first-period goal against the Islanders. (Bruce Bennett \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Stock neutral: Scott Morrow<\/p>\n

The 22-year-old Morrow will either make the team as a lineup regular or go to AHL Hartford. There\u2019s no use in keeping him on the roster as a No. 7 defenseman. As a waiver-exempt player, he needs to be playing games, whether with the Rangers or the AHL Wolf Pack. Acquired in the K\u2019Andre Miller trade, he probably has not played well enough to hop any established NHLers for a top-six spot, but he hasn\u2019t been bad, either.<\/p>\n

Stock neutral: Dylan Garand<\/p>\n

Garand had a rough first game of the preseason, allowing three goals in one period on 10 shots faced. He was better Monday, relieving Shesterkin in the third period and stopping nine of the 10 shots he saw.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it was an important period for him,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cI know his last outing didn\u2019t sit well with him, and we certainly know he\u2019s better than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Rangers might need to count on Garand this year. He enters the season as the club\u2019s top AHL option and would likely get a call-up if Shesterkin or Jonathan Quick gets hurt. More importantly, he could be part of the team\u2019s longer-term plans as Shesterkin\u2019s backup. Quick will turn 40 this season and is on a one-year deal. A good year from Garand will go a long way in proving he\u2019s ready to take over as an NHL No. 2.<\/p>\n

Monday\u2019s game was a much better sign than his previous one, which would\u2019ve had him in the \u201cstock down\u201d category.<\/p>\n

Stock down: Brennan Othmann<\/p>\n

Now 22 and entering his third professional season, Othmann is at an interesting point in his career. He has yet to show he can be an NHL regular, though he played in 22 games last year, and the Rangers probably need to get clarity on his potential soon. He had a difficult first game against the New Jersey Devils but has shown flashes since, just not the consistency needed to make a strong case to be on the opening-night roster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s played a lot better (since the first game),\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cHe skates well, he can get into the forecheck. One of the things we\u2019ve been trying to encourage him to do is embrace the traffic. Don\u2019t hide in the safe ice. \u2026 If he does that, I think he has a good skill set to thrive in the chaos.\u201d<\/p>\n

Othmann was on a line with Laba on Monday, so he also spent significant time in the defensive zone against the Islanders\u2019 top players. He also turned over the puck on multiple occasions. If he\u2019s going to make it as a consistent NHLer, he needs to play more responsibly.<\/p>\n

Stock down: Brendan Brisson<\/p>\n

Brisson spoke earlier in camp about his excitement for a fresh start<\/a> after a difficult start to the 2024-25 season with the Vegas Golden Knights organization. He has failed to be particularly noticeable through two games, though, and is almost certainly bound for Hartford to start the season. He\u2019ll look to regain his previous AHL form while there. He scored 18-plus goals at the AHL level in 2022-23 and 2023-24.<\/p>\n

Stock down: Carey Terrance<\/p>\n

Along with Laba and Dylan Roobroeck, Terrance is one of the Rangers\u2019 intriguing center prospects. Sullivan and the staff have seemed to prioritize getting the others game action, though. Terrance made his debut Monday but only because Carrick was out. Laba and Roobroeck, meanwhile, have played four and three games. That said, they\u2019re also older than Terrance, so it makes sense their development is a little further along.<\/p>\n

(Top photo of Noah Laba, Jonathan Drouin and Brennan Othmann: Bruce Bennett \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n