Jayden Grubbe
Courtesy WHL

The Rangers draft a big center in the third round.

With the first pick of the third round of the 2021 NHL draft, the New York Rangers selected center Jayden Grubbe.

Grubbe is a big center, standing at 6’3″ and weighing 200 lbs. In 62 WHL games this season, he scored seven goals and 25 assists. The Rangers might have reached with this pick, Grubbe wasn’t expected to go so early.

He’s physical, which makes sense given his size. He’s a great passer and is reminiscent of players like Chris Kreider because he uses his net-front presence well. He isn’t a good shooter and isn’t great defensively, but is very good in transition.

Leen has written about the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, and international soccer. She is currently the primary NHL writer for ESNY. Leen's work has been featured on Bleacher Report and she was formerly a contributor for FanSided's New York Mets blog, Rising Apple. She is a co-host of the Yankees-Mets Express podcast.