With only two weeks gone in the long NHL season, Brett Howden is already making his mark on the New York Rangers. In a season ripe for breakout starts on the Blueshirts, Howden is quickly rising to the top.
Brett Howden Rises on Rangers
It’s not surprising that the Rangers aren’t great this season. After all, last season was a complete wash for the boys on Broadway. What is surprising is Howden’s success compared to the plethora of young forwards the Rangers expected to deliver. The 20-year-old has already notched four points in seven games. This includes an impressive between-the-legs tally against the San Jose Sharks Aaron Dell. His four points tie him with seasoned Rangers veterans such as Mika Zibanejad and Jesper Fast. He’s also outperforming players who displayed promise in the final stages of last season such as Vladislav Namestnikov. Namestnikov has tallied only one point in the last six games and was a healthy scratch against the Buffalo Sabres.
Keys to Success
What stands out about Brett Howden is his excellence as a two-way player, consistently jumping up into the play to create opportunities. He’s playing on both the penalty kill and power play units, elevating his confidence in essential areas of play. Coach David Quinn clearly made the right choice in keeping Howden and letting Lias Andersson play the big minutes in Hartford. Howden is already showing much more maturity and finesse than Andersson in his short time with the Rangers.
Andersson is known to be emotionally charged and on a team that is no doubt going to lose a lot, Andersson’s temper would likely get the best of him, affecting his play. Howden is also an unselfish player, setting up his teammates for the opportunity, remaining aware of the “we” not “me” mentality that Coach Quinn has implemented. It’s his adaptation to Quinn’s coaching style and flexibility as a player that’s made him an asset and able to play big minutes in this rebuild.
Humble Howden Beginnings
Like all great players, Howden had to start somewhere before hitting the ice at Madison Square Garden. Howden saw huge success in the WHL beginning in 2013-14. He tallied 276 points with the Moose Jaw Warriors over his five seasons there. He even held the captain’s honor in his last two seasons. Drafted 27th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Howden never saw NHL ice in Tampa. Instead, he was traded along with Vladislav Namestnikov and Libor Hajek in the Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller trade.
As noticed by Ben Kerr in 2016, Howden has consistently shown skill in all three zones. His defensive skill has impressed coaches throughout his career and bolsters the Rangers defense, which has needed all the help it can get for years. By cutting passing lanes and blocking shots, Rangers defensemen should be happy to have Howden on their side. In addition to his defensive talent, his speed allows him to keep up with Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello. Zuccarello, short and scrappy, makes a great line-mate for the Calgary-native. Both have a strong fore-check and continue to advocate for each other on the ice.
Looking Ahead
The Rangers won’t be great this season but with players like Howden, they may not be as awful as we thought. Howden is one of many young players on the roster. Injuries are nothing but inevitable in the grueling NHL season, allowing players like Andersson to pop up and prove themselves in an NHL arena. Namestnikov may come out of his shell once he assimilates with Quinn’s coaching skill. Vinni Lettieri is also chomping at the bit to make his mark on Broadway.
As the schedule looms on, energy management, intelligent game preparation, and health awareness will keep the young kids sharp. It’s possible this excellence out of the gate will fade (as seen with Oscar Lindberg in 2015-2016). For the moment, however, Rangers fans should be excited for the months and years to come with a new team blossoming on the horizon.
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