Colorado College coach Kris Mayotte predicted Monday’s news back in March.
After the Tigers were eliminated from the National Collegiate Hockey Conference quarterfinals by rival Denver, the CC coach spoke to the duality of what that final game meant for his players.
“You have guys on your bench who might never play competitive hockey again after today,” he said. “You have guys who are gonna move on and sign NHL contracts and play NHL games at the end of this year.”
The CC coach was likely talking about former top-line center Noah Laba at the end of that statement, and the forward out of Northville, Mich. delivered. Laba, who was selected by the New York Rangers in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, made New York’s final 23-man roster on Monday thanks to a stellar performance during the preseason.
The former CC assistant captain played all six of the Rangers’ preseason games and earned a team-high six points on two goals and four assists. On Sept. 29, Laba scored an overtime game-winner against the New York Islanders. The feat was reminiscent of the many times he lifted the Tigers to victory in overtime. During his sophomore season at CC (2023-2024), Laba’s seven game-winning goals ranked inside the top five in college hockey and his four GWGs in overtime led the nation, according to the school’s website. That season, he was named a second-team All-American and won two NCHC major awards.
Following his blistering play in the Rangers’ preseason, Laba received the Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award presented to the Rangers’ top rookie in training camp as selected by the media.
Before CC’s season-opening series last weekend, Mayotte spoke to how players like Laba and former linemate Gleb Veremyev, who didn’t make the Islanders’ roster but scored twice against Laba and the Rangers in a preseason game, are perfect examples of the players CC likes to recruit.
“You read some of the things that their new teammates and coaches are saying about them and it’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s what we’ve been saying for years now too,’” Mayotte said. “But when you get to see it every day you just have a deeper appreciation for what it is they do and how they do it. And so when it’s time for them to leave and go on you feel like they’re prepared and that’s a big part of our job. You want to recruit the right kids, you want to share their dreams, have similar goals for them on what they can become as they do for themselves and then it’s our job to get there. And if we develop guys the right way, we believe we’ll win a lot of hockey games and start winning some championships.”