Recap: Rangers' Rookies Split Scrimmage Series in Philadelphia

As we inch one step closer to the start of the season, the New York Rangers rookies took on the Philadelphia Flyers for a pair of scrimmages over the weekend. With each team picking up a win, there was plenty to take away from these exhibition games as a couple of Rangers, both expected and unexpected, stood out ahead of the official start of preseason.

Game 1: Rangers Fall 4-3 in Overtime

Despite taking a 2-0 lead into the second period of the first outing, the Rangers lead fell out of reach and resulted in the decision of the scrimmage coming in overtime. 

Brennan Othmann, who is attending his fifth rookie camp of his career, was without question one of the standouts. He got the Rangers on the board early in the first as Noah Laba found him all alone in front of the Flyers net. A slow spin-o-rama allowed him to sneak the puck through and find the back of the net. Laba and Scott Morrow with the assists. This was, however, just the start of Othmann’s highlight-filled night. 

He nearly had a second goal as he ripped a one timer off the post, continuing to showcase why he has so much potential heading into this season. If he can secure a third line role out of camp, not only can he provide secondary offense, but he could be an offensive option for the team’s second power play unit. Definitely someone to keep an eye on as rookie camp transitions into training camp and if there’s one Othmann highlight to leave you with, he might make the Rangers as a result of this play alone. 

Another Rangers forward that has turned some heads in recent years is 6-7 forward Dylan Roobroeck. Drafted late in the sixth round in 2023, Roobroeck is coming off his first full season of professional hockey where he registered 34 points in 72 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Just about a minute after Othmann made it a 1-0 game, Roobroeck collected the puck along the boards and confidently viewed the ice, assessed his options and opted to shoot the puck. 

Especially in these situations where you really only have two scrimmages to make impressions ahead of preseason, you want to gain the coaching staff's attention? Shooting the puck is always a way to do so and it paid off for Roobroeck here. 

Now when you’re not as offensively gifted, you have to find other ways to make an impression and for camp invitee Corbin Vaughn, he did it the old fashioned way. An undrafted defenseman out of the WHL, Vaughn can be best described as a Dylan McIlrath lite. The only difference is Vaughn never had the high draft stock that McIlrath clearly did considering the Rangers felt the need to draft him tenth overall. 

Vaughn likely has a long road ahead of him if he was to ever make the NHL but for a team like the Rangers that doesn’t have a ton of defensive depth, especially in the pipeline, taking a flyer on a player like him is worth rolling the dice. Vaughn would drop the gloves not once, but twice throughout the scrimmage last night. 

Lastly, another under the radar player who might be worth keeping an eye on is Raoul Boilard. Similarly to how the Rangers don’t have a ton of defensemen in the prospect cupboard, the center ice position is right up there as one of the more pressing organizational needs. Boilard, a fourth round draft pick in 2023, is coming off his second season in the QMJHL and did take a slight step back from the year prior. However, to regain the Rangers lead late in the second last night, Boilard did a good job of walking the slot, letting a shot go through a defenseman to beat Carson Bjarnason and make it 3-2. 

Rangers goaltender Hugo Ollas had a busy night in the crease, facing a total of 35 shots with 20 of them coming in the second period alone. The Flyers would tie the game in the third period and end up winning 4-3 in overtime. The Rangers top prospects definitely stood out offensively but there was lots to clean up on the defensive side of things—understandable for a rookie camp scrimmage.

Game 2: Rangers Bounce Back in 5-2 Win

Aside from Brennan Othmann, newly acquired defenseman Scott Morrow was one of the players coming into rookie camp with the most NHL experience. About six minutes into the scrimmage, he did a great job of walking right towards the slot from the point to let a wrist shot go to make it a 1-0 game. Some really good passing from Othmann and Roobroeck to set him up for the shot as well.

Othmann and Morrow continued to lead the charge offensively as they helped set up another newer acquisition for the Rangers to extend their lead to two within the first minute of the second period. Jackson Dorrington ended up on an odd-man rush with Morrow—a rare zone entry led by both defensemen—as he elected to let a shot go from the top of the face-off circle to beat Bjarnason.

Just over the midway mark of the second, the Rangers found themselves on a 5-on-3 power play where they were able to regain a two goal lead, making it 3-1. Morrow once again at the forefront of play, did a great job of quarterbacking the power play to find Gabe Perreault on one side of the net who sent it across to Jaroslav Chmelar at the doorstep for an easy goal.

At that point, that was easily the nicest goal of the game but Othmann had something to say about that. He wouldn't be the goalscorer on this play but he pulled off a beautiful little move to get around the defender and set up Noah Laba for a wide open net on the left side. Prior to that, the Flyers had scored again so Laba's goal extended a two goal lead for the second time, now 4-2.

The physicality and emotion generated in game one certainly carried over into game two as there were more than a fair share of scrums and scraps. On top of having a three assist night, Othmann didn't shy away from sticking up for his teammates and got involved in a few scraps around the net.

Later in the third period, 2024 sixth rounder Rico Gredig properly dropped the gloves with Samu Tuomala and came out of it on top. BU alum Case McCarthy who has had quite a few cups of coffee with the Hartford Wolf Pack the last two seasons, also stood up for a teammate after Devin Kaplan laid a big hit and took him down with one solid punch.

Gabe Perreault finished things off with an empty netter to help the Rangers secure a 5-2 win. Callum Tung had a steady night in net and will be someone to keep an eye on as there could be a chance he surpasses Hugo Ollas and Talyn Boyko in the depth charts down the road. Overall, Othmann and Morrow were the top players over the weekend which makes sense given their experience but comes as good news for the Rangers.

Beyond the obvious names, Noah Laba and Dylan Roobroeck both had their moments which is also ideal for a team that needs centers in the pipeline. Our own Snark Messier was among several who had high praises for the Colorado College Alum:

All in all, a solid weekend from the Rangers rookies who will look to continue making a name for themselves once the full training camp starts in the coming weeks. The Rangers first official preseason game will be Sunday September 21st at 1pm against the New Jersey Devils.