Ranking the top 10 prospects for the NY Rangers: No. 7 forward Morgan Barron

With training camp for the 2021-22 NHL season set to begin in less than a month, it's time to update the USA TODAY Network's annual ranking of the top prospects in the New York Rangers' organization. In the coming weeks, we'll publish a series of reports on each of our top 10 overall players in the system, as well as in-depth positional analysis. These rankings are based on conversations with Rangers GM Chris Drury and director of player development Jed Ortmeyer, coaches and trainers who have worked with these prospects, scouts from around the world and other sources. Any players who are 25 or younger and have played fewer than 25 NHL games are eligible for consideration.

No. 7: Forward Morgan Barron

The path to New York hasn't been as linear as Morgan Barron's play has warranted and remains unclear heading into the 2021-22 season.

A collection of young forwards who were drafted with premium picks and an influx of gritty veterans have complicated the outlook for the Rangers' sixth-rounder from 2017.

But after leading AHL Hartford in scoring last season and earning a five-game NHL cameo, Barron remains a viable piece of the Blueshirts' long-term puzzle.

"He made a positive out of a negative," Rangers director of player development Jed Ortmeyer said. "I think he understood what happened at training camp and why he didn't make the team. He went down to Hartford and had a good attitude and made the best of it. He was a point-per-game guy in a really tough season when it was hard to get into a rhythm. That’s impressive for a first-year pro."

The 22-year-old will head to his second NHL camp later this month with another shot to prove he belongs at the highest level.

He missed the final roster cut last season, with former Rangers coach David Quinn saying that "Morgan looked nervous" at the time. But Ortmeyer and others within the organization were pleased with how Barron handled the disappointing assignment.

His calling card is his versatility. On top of posting 21 points (10 goals and 11 assists) in 21 games with the Wolf Pack last season, Barron played all three forward spots and in all situations. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he's able to use his size effectively to control possession, win battles and out-muscle opponents — traits the Rangers have clearly been looking to add their lineup this summer.

"There are two things that pop in his skill on the ice – his ability to shoot the puck and his ability to use his body," Cornell associate head coach Ben Syer said. "With his physicality, I'm not just talking about hitting guys; I'm talking about him using his body to protect pucks so that he could make the next play."

"His play for us along the wall, in any zone, was phenomenal," he added. "Guys couldn't get to the puck. They couldn't do it in practice and they couldn't do it in games. He was just an absolute moose – and I know everybody's bigger and stronger as you move up to pro, but I still see that as being an asset for him because he understands how to do that."

Few are more familiar with Barron's game than Syer, who began recruiting the Halifax, Canada native when he was a junior in high school.

From the beginning, Syer has marveled at Barron's "presence."

"The first time I saw him, he just made plays," he said. "He made play after play after play. It was hard not to notice who he was. ... You knew he wasn't at his full potential, too. He was growing into himself as a player and into his body."

In his draft year, Barron fell all the way to pick No. 174 overall, with Syer recalling that his lack of high-caliber competition in high school "scared a few of those NHL scouts." But he took off at Cornell, becoming a first-team All-American before forgoing his senior season to sign with the Rangers.

"He went from being a boy to a man in a couple years with us, just in terms of his size, and that really gave him a lot of confidence during his time here," Syer said. "Because the other parts of it – like the skill, his hockey sense, his awareness on the ice – that was always there."

Having aced his first professional test in the AHL, the next step is carving out an NHL role.

While he has experience at center, most believe his best position is on the wing. The thing is, the Rangers are loaded there. They'll surely prioritize ice time for highly-drafted wingers such as Alexis Lafrenière, Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov over Barron, plus they brought in veterans Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais, Ryan Reaves and Dryden Hunt to add depth to the bottom six.

The competition will be crowded, which opens the possibility of starting another season in Hartford. Proving he can play at the pace new head coach Gerard Gallant will demand will be paramount.

"Is he going to be able to play fast enough?" Syer asked. "That’s going to be up to Gerard and his staff to figure out. … I don’t think he’s as nifty skill-wise as some of the other Rangers in terms of open ice. But that’s where his shot and his ability along the wall to keep plays going and get (the puck) to the more skilled guys comes in. … He has a willingness and an ability to play in tight, small areas."

He also has experience on the penalty kill and "a willingness to do those small details and some of those things that other players aren't in terms of blocking shots and those greasy qualities that are asked of him," according to Syer.

That should help his cause, as will a maturity and focus that those who know him best rave about.

"He just wants to be a pro," Syer said. "I firmly believe that he’s going to find a way. He wants a jersey every night. He wants to be in the lineup. So, if that means he’s going to have to grind it out in a so-called bottom-six role, he’ll embrace that."

ICYMI: Top 10 prospects for the NY Rangers

No. 10: Forward Brett Berard

No. 9: Forward Will Cuylle

No. 8: Forward Karl Henriksson

No. 7:Forward Morgan Barron

No. 6:Check back on Wednesday...

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.