The Rangers have drafted center Bryce McConnell-Barker at #97.
McDonnell-Barker is 6-1, 195 and had 23 goals and 26 assists in 68 games for Sault St. Marie.
On NHL Network they said his NHL comparison was a “Jesperi Kotkaniemi-type of player.”
McKeen‘s had him ranked 95th and said “Bryce McConnell-Barker would have to be the OHL player who underwhelmed the most this year as a draft eligible player. The tools are there for him to develop into a quality NHL player. He also proved to be extremely versatile for the Soo this season, shifting between center and the wing, while playing a variety of different roles. However, the production and performance were also inconsistent making it difficult to project just what kind of player BMB (as OHL scouts affectionately call him) will be.”
They added, “McConnell-Barker is a committed three zone player who shows excellent awareness in the defensive zone and neutral zone without the puck. Shifting between the wing and center is not easy and he did it relatively effortlessly this year, excelling in a variety of different defensive assignments. BMB also can shine in transition where his speed can surprise defenders and put them off balance, allowing him to beat them one on one as he drives wide. Lastly, his shot has the potential to be a major weapon for him. He has a very hard wrist shot that can beat goaltenders cleanly, even from a distance.”
The Hockey News ranked him 67th and wrote “solid two-way center looked frustrated early on and not having an OHL season last year was surely a factor. Offense picked up at the end of the season.”
At #111, the Rangers selected center Noah Laba.
Laba was not ranked by McKeens, The Hockey News or The Athletic.
He is 6-2, 191 and played for Lincoln in the USHL. He had 15 goals and 24 assists for Lincoln and will play for Colgate next season.
The Athletic did write that Laba is a “big, competitive center with some skill” but there are concerns with his skating.
From the Rangers:
3rd Round, 97th Overall
- With the 97th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the Rangers selected forward Bryce McConnell-Barker.
- McConnell-Barker, 18, skated 23 goals and 26 assists for 49 points in 68 games with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2021-22. Among Greyhounds last season, the London, Ontario native finished third in goals and fifth in points.
- Prior to playing in the OHL, the 6-1, 193 pound forward played for the Komoka Kings of the Greater Ontario Junior League.
4th Round, 111th Overall
- With the 111th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the Rangers selected forward Noah Laba.
- Laba, 18, skated for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL in 2021-22, notching 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 50 games and a plus-7. With Lincoln last season, the Northville, Michigan native ranked tied for fifth in goals, sixth in points and seventh in assists.
- The 6-2, 191 pound forward has accumulated 58 points (24G-34A) in 96 games with Lincoln over the course of two seasons. He was named to the USHL All-Academic Team in 2020-21.