Ben MacBeath Draws Parallels To Former NY Rangers Star

Ben MacBeath has some similarities in his game to a former New York Rangers star.

Jan 14, 2021; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers players huddle around the center ice logo as they prepare for the home opener against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Bennett/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports

This offseason, the New York Rangers put an emphasis on improving at the blueline throughout the organization.

The Rangers needed help at defenseman at the NHL level, acquiring Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi in trades from the Vancouver Canucks and Utah Mammoth to create a new second pairing behind Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov.

New York also went to great lengths to improve the organizational pipeline at the position. Five of their draft picks were used on blueliners, including one of their second-round picks, No. 64 overall, on Ben MacBeath.

He played one season with the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL and is preparing to begin his collegiate career at the University of Denver. There, he will learn from head coach David Carle, who believes there is a lot to like in MacBeath’s game, going so far as to compare him to former Rangers star Ryan McDonagh.

Ben MacBeath draws comparison to Ryan McDonagh

February 12, 2013; Boston, MA USA; New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) gets set for a face off during the first period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“There’s not a real weakness in his game,” Carle said of MacBeath, via Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required). “I’m not going to say he’s (Ryan) McDonagh, but McDonagh was similar to that, in my opinion. He didn’t do anything poorly. He’s super reliable in all situations. He could do a little bit of everything, and you need guys on your team that can be that way.”

That is some incredible high praise for the 18-year-old who is just scratching the surface of his potential. He is heading into his collegiate career with a ton of positive momentum after registering 51 points with the Hitmen last season, handing out 44 assists to go with seven goals scored, with a plus/minus of +5 in 67 games.

Drawing comparisons to a two-time Stanley Cup winner and steady performer such as McDonagh is high praise for MacBeath. If he can get anywhere near that level in his career with New York, the organization is going to be thrilled.

Turning into Ryan McDonagh would be great for Ben MacBeath

Feb 16, 2015; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) controls the puck against the New York Islanders during the third period at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Rangers defeated the Islanders 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In 516 games with the Rangers, McDonagh had 238 points with 51 goals and 187 assists. He made a positive impact whenever he was on the ice, finishing with a plus/minus of +141 across eight seasons, averaging 23:33 minutes of ice time per game.

Everywhere McDonagh has gone, he has made a positive impact. He has spent seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning across two stints and two with the Nashville Predators, finishing with a positive plus/minus every year of his career to this point.

As reliable as it gets at the blueline, New York certainly sounds like it has a good future defenseman in MacBeath. Playing for Carle with the University of Denver will only help hone his skills for when he turns pro in a few years.