The Rangers’ rookie weekend in Allentown didn’t end the way they wanted, but the two-game set still gave a few prospects a chance to make noise before training camp opens. New York was swept by Philadelphia, dropping Saturday’s game 3-2 and Sunday’s matchup 4-1, but that’s only part of the story this time of year. For a lot of these players, the Rookie Series is less about the scoreboard and more about getting a first crack at pro hockey in North America or trying to force their way into the conversation for camp.
That’s why Dylan Roobroeck stands out after the weekend.
The center scored the Rangers’ first goal of the series, getting a deflection on the power play to get New York on the board. He also got involved physically, finishing the first game with a tilt against Flyers prospect Ty Murchison. For a player trying to carve out a path, that kind of all-around showing matters.
Roobroeck turned pro at the end of the 2023-24 season and made his AHL debut in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. Since then, he’s been a fixture for Hartford, appearing in every game the Wolf Pack have played and logging all 72 games in each of the past two seasons. The former Oshawa General led Hartford with 20 goals in his rookie season in 2024-25, and he’s shown he won’t shy away from the rough stuff when it comes his way.
The Rangers do have a crowded picture in the bottom six heading into camp. Eeli Tolvanen and Taylor Raddysh are in the mix with younger players like Tye Kartye and Jaroslav Chmelar, while Laba and Joe Veleno are set at center. Justin Dowling and Juuso Parssinen are also available behind them.
Still, Roobroeck has put himself in the kind of position where a strong camp could matter. He’s developed into a more complete player in Hartford over the last two seasons, and if he keeps building on that, he could make enough of an impression to earn NHL games later this season.
In Other News...
Former Rangers Defenseman Just Landed In An Awkward Metro Spot
Carson Soucy is headed to a familiar corner of the Metro, this time on a professional tryout with the Columbus Blue Jackets as he prepares for another training camp look. A veteran of seven NHL seasons, Soucy spent last season bouncing between the Rangers and Islanders, and now hell try to turn a PTO into a roster spot in Columbus.
For the Blue Jackets, the fit is fairly straightforward: Soucy is expected to compete for work on the third defensive pair or as the seventh defenseman. For the Rangers, it is another reminder of how quickly the defense market can shift within the division, especially when a player with Soucys experience is still in the mix and still looking for a landing spot. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Rookie Weekend Raised One Big Question About Their Young Talent
Liam Greentree got one of the weekends few bright spots for the Rangers prospects in Allentown, scoring his first goal in a New York sweater during a 4-1 loss to the Flyers at PPL Center. The rookie series had already tilted Philadelphias way after a 3-2 result on Saturday, and the two-game sweep left the Rangers looking for more finish and more consistency from a young group that had stretches of promise but not enough to change the outcome.
Danai Shaiikov gave them a chance to hang around in goal, turning in a solid outing with several key stops even as the Flyers kept the pressure on. For a weekend meant to sort through the organizations young talent, Greentrees breakthrough and Shaiikovs work in net offered some encouraging pieces, but the bigger question remains how many of those flashes can carry over once the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Beaudoin Just Turned Into A Real Rangers Camp Battle
Cole Beaudoin is one of the more intriguing young names around Rangers camp this fall, a player arriving with a fresh start and a clear goal. Acquired from Utah in a July 1 trade tied to Vincent Trocheck, Beaudoin is still at the point where every practice and preseason shift matters, especially as he prepares to launch his pro career after two seasons with the Barrie Colts in the OHL.
For the Rangers, the question is less about whether Beaudoin has long-term potential and more about where he fits right now in a crowded competition. He is trying to win an NHL job out of camp, but the more realistic path may begin with Hartford in the AHL, where he would get the kind of minutes and development time that are hard to guarantee at the big-league level. [Read more 🡒]