Noah Laba’s Journey with the Rangers
Among the two rookies still part of the Rangers’ roster since the start of the season, Noah Laba brings the experience of playing in the NHL full-time.
He made his first appearance in Game 1 and aimed to maintain the third-line center position he earned during training camp. At just 22, Laba has faced the challenge of two injuries, which is significant considering the leap from college hockey to the NHL. For him, it seems that the transition was, well, almost seamless.
However, when he returned from a recent lower-body injury, he found that the role of 3C was no longer available. Instead, he played as the fourth-line center for the third consecutive game during Thursday’s 3-2 defeat against the Canadiens.
With regular fourth-line center Sam Carrick now traded to Buffalo, head coach Mike Sullivan moved JT Miller back into the middle to address the team’s needs. Interestingly, Miller feels he performs best at center, so Raba was placed back into the fourth line behind captain Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck.
“It’s probably fair to say that the more you play, the more chances you have to develop,” Sullivan commented after practice on Wednesday. “We’ve moved Laba around a bit. He’s made contributions, especially on the second power play and during penalty kills. We’ve been discussing all year whether to play JT, Mika, and Trocheck together or keep them apart to bolster the top six. It’s a fundamental question that has been on our minds a lot.”
“The reality is our decisions have often been constrained by injuries. When Labs was hurt and the lineup was adjusted, we liked certain changes. It’s important for us to help JT perform at his best for various reasons.”
As the season progressed, Laba skated as the third-line center in 39 of the first 42 games. A brief reshuffling took place when Trocheck was sidelined with an upper-body injury in November, allowing Laba to play on the fourth line before stepping up as a second-line center twice.
Despite playing 68 games this season, Laba has largely spent 62 of those in the third unit, adapting to the demands of the NHL.
The Rangers, having not traded Trocheck before the recent deadline, might consider moving him again this summer. This potential trade could open a spot for Laba as the third-line center, but the team may still need to find another center to reinforce their lineup.
Juuso Parsinen has played 20 games this season, contributing one goal and three assists, but his impact has been minimal. Adam Edström’s brief stint at center was cut short, as he has now been a healthy scratch for five straight games.
Unless Trocheck stays, it seems likely the team will need to find another fourth-line center in free agency this offseason.
Reflecting on his growth this season, Laba noted the importance of professionalism and self-care in recovery. “I just keep trying to improve, learn as much as I can, and maximize the opportunities I get,” Laba shared recently. “Having fellow rookies around was fantastic. They brought so much energy to the locker room, and I couldn’t be happier for them.”
