A very busy Friday evening saw all 12 New York Rangers prospects in action. Sadly we only saw production out of three of them as two earned first star honors.
First Star Nathan Aspinall Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Nathan Aspinall sent a message that he plans on remaining as the top Rangers prospect. The captain of the Flint Firebirds had a 2-1-3 performance to lead the Firebirds to a 5-1 win over the Soo Greyhounds.
Aspinall got on the scoreboard with an unassisted shorthanded goal in the first period. He was actually out of position when the Greyhounds turned the puck over just entering the Firebirds zone.
Aspinall found the puck and took off on a breakaway and fired a shot over the glove side of the Soo goalie. The goal at 16:25 make it 2-0 for the Firebirds with Aspinall’s 25th goal and first shorthanded goal of the season.
This goal proved to be the game winning goal; his fourth of the season.
🚨Nathan Aspinall pic.twitter.com/ZVLhuBOsEb
— x – Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) February 7, 2026
In the second, Aspinall would make it 3-0 when he led a “three-on-one” odd man rush down the left side. Again Aspinall would fire a shot high over the glove side for the goal at 3:12.
🚨Nathan Aspinall
🍏George Komadoski pic.twitter.com/AoaehxQBkR— x – Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) February 7, 2026
It was Aspinall’s 26th goal of the season as he is 10th in the OHL in goal scoring and leads all Rangers prospects. But he was not done as in the third, Aspinall earned his third point of the game with a primary assist on Darian Anderson’s goal.
Got to show this pass as it shows Aspinall’s on-ice awareness of his teammates.
🚨Darian Anderson
🍏Nathan Aspinall
🍏Jacob Battaglia pic.twitter.com/Cgrd3qTRSj— x – Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) February 7, 2026
The assist was his 45th which is second best in the OHL. Overall Aspinall remains the OHL’s leading scorer with a 26-45-71. He is on a pace for a 35-61-96 point season.
Flint with the win clinches a spot in the OHL playoffs. They currently lead the OHL’s West Division and are second in the OHL’s Western Conference tied with the Windsor Spitfires
First Star Liam Greentree Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Say hello to the newest Ranger’s prospect Liam Greentree (check out his picture) who the Rangers got in the Artemi Panarin trade. Greentree is the captain of the Windsor Spitfires a position once held by Adam Graves and Will Cuylle.
Thursday Greentree did not have the best of performances as he was scoreless and was hit with an “abuse of official” misconduct. Friday was a different story as Greentree earned first star honors with a 1-2-3 effort.
Greentree and the Spitfires defeated Artem Gonchar’s Sudbury Wolves 5-2. It was Greenree who got his team on the scoreboard when he scored his 24th goal of the season in the first period.
With his team on the power play, Greentree wound up with the puck at the right faceoff circle. He “one-timed” a shot that just blew past the Sudbury goalie.
The Spits’ take flight first✈️
Liam Greentree gets the @SpitsHockey on the board with his 24th goal of the season!#NYR pic.twitter.com/cM3WG1sIkb
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 7, 2026
The goal at 12:13 of the period was also his 300th OHL career point. Less than three minutes later, Greentree would set up Alex Pharand for the Spitfires second goal of the game.
His third point would be a secondary assist on the Spitfires fifth goal of the game at 18:27 of the third period. For the game, Greentree was 1-2-3 on a game high six shots with a +1 and a minor for hooking.
On the season, the Windsor captain is 24-24-48 in just 36 games with a +12. He has seven power play goals, two shorthanded goals and four game winning goals.
OHL
Artem Gonchar was scoreless in his Sudbury Wolves loss to the Windsor Spitfires. The young defenseman is 10-26-36 on the season.
Evan Passmore was scoreless as his Barrie Colts defeated the Bramption Steelheads 4-1. Barrie leads the OHL’s Central Division and has won three straight.
QMJHL
Raoul Boilard was scoreless as his Cape Breton Eagles lost to the Halifax Mooseheads 5-2. Boilard was 8-6 on his faceoffs as he remains a solid 65.1% win rate on the season.
NCAA
Malcom Spence was scoreless as his top-ranked Michigan edged Sean Barnhill’s (scoreless) second-ranked Michigan State 4-3 in overtime in Big Ten play. The win was Michigan’s seventh straight while the loss snapped Michigan States six game win streak.
Michigan opens a two-point lead over Michigan State in the Big Ten standings. Same two teams play on Saturday, game can be seen on the Big Ten Network starting at 6:30 EDT.
Brody Lamb scored a goal in a losing effort as his Minnesota Golden Gophers lost to Ohio State 6-2 in Big Ten play. Lamb had a power play goal for his 13th goal of the season.
Lamb scored with a rocket of a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle.
LAMB FINDS THE BACK OF THE NET 🚨
📺: FOX9 & B1G+ pic.twitter.com/bX9QSDSLho
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) February 7, 2026
The Rangers lack scoring depth so not offering Lamb a contract only hurts the Rangers. Someone is going to take a chance on Lamb with his goal scoring skills.
Lamb ties his career best with his 27th point (13-14-27).
Rasmus Larsson was scoreless as Robert Morris earned a 1-0 win over Canisius in Atlantic Hockey. Larsson is still looking for his first point of the season in 12 games.
Ty Henricks was scoreless as Western Michigan drops a 3-2 overtime decision to Miami (Ohio) in NCHC play. Henricks has gone five games without a point.
E. J. Emery was scoreless as his third-ranked North Dakota lost to tenth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth 3-2 in overtime in NCHC play. Emery has not scored a goal since the second game of the season and has gone five games without a point.
Sorry but first round picks need to be better than these weak numbers (2-3-5).
Drew Fortescue scoreless as his 13th-ranked Boston College was upset by Vermont 6-1 in Hockey East play. Boston College was very guilty of looking past Vermont for Monday’s Beanpot Championship against Boston University.
