Three big Rangers prospects appear to be on the outside looking in. Brennan Othmann, Gabe Perreault, and Dylan Roobroeck are all in today’s afternoon group, working with the Hartford coaching staff instead of the Rangers coaching staff. This isn’t much of a surprise, as both Perreault and Roobroeck were projected to start in Hartford and Othmann hasn’t exactly played his way into the NHL lineup. Notably, Noah Laba was not with this group.
The NHL group had the guys you expected, plus Laba, Brett Berard, Matthew Robertson, and Scott Morrow. It’s unlikely all four break camp with the Rangers, and it is worth noting Morrow was practicing with Robertson, so there’s a chance both could be sent to Hartford if the Rangers do indeed go 15F-6D-2G to break camp.
There are a bunch of tough decisions remaining with that remaining quartet of prospects. But I do believe the Rangers will err on the side of caution with Laba, since there is no need to rush him either. Let him get big minutes in Hartford while some of the guys whom the Rangers need to make decisions get a longer look in October. Berard certainly falls into that category, as does Conor Sheary and Juuso Parssinen.
Remember, the lines that start the season are not the lines that finish the season. For the first time in years, the first call ups for the Rangers appear to be kids, not journeyman veterans.
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