The New York Rangers have brought together three promising prospects—Jacob Battaglia, Nathan Aspinall, and Darian Anderson—at their recent development camp, reuniting the linemates who powered the Flint Firebirds to their most successful season in franchise history during 2025-26.
The reunion marks a significant step for the young players as they integrate into the Rangers organization. Aspinall and Battaglia, who were linemates on the OHL Firebirds, found out about their shared NHL future through each other. Battaglia learned of his trade to the Rangers while sitting next to Aspinall on the team bus, showing him an Instagram post about the transaction. Aspinall, a fifth-round pick in 2024, expressed his excitement about Battaglia joining the organization and his happiness for their continued journey together.
"I gave him a big hug after that," Aspinall said. "I was pretty excited to see how far our journey is going to go together and just so happy for what the future could be."
The trio's connection was solidified when the Rangers drafted Darian Anderson with the 163rd pick in the recent NHL Entry Draft, officially acquiring the full line that dominated the OHL. Aspinall recalled immediately calling his coach upon hearing about Anderson's selection by the Rangers, expressing his eagerness to reunite.
"I called my coach [Paul Flache] immediately," Aspinall told The Post. "Just saying how awesome it is, and then I sent him a text right away and said, ‘Can’t wait to see you in a couple days.’ "
The familiar faces have provided a crucial support system for the prospects during their first camp. Battaglia highlighted the benefit of having teammates who understand the challenges and journey of being drafted into a professional organization.
"I think it’s great for all of us," Aspinall said. "I mean, just seeing Darian, my linemate, who got drafted this year, has just made me smile so much. And then seeing them at camp, it just makes it so much better. Just being with the guys more and just having some more familiarity with them coming for their first camp, it’s great."
While Aspinall and Battaglia are expected to begin their professional careers with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, Anderson is committed to Clarkson University for the 2026-27 season. Aspinall described Anderson as a "shifty" player who "works for everything he earns."
The chemistry of the linemates was significantly influenced by Battaglia's transition to center. Previously a winger, Battaglia embraced the move to the middle after being traded from the Kingston Frontenacs to Flint, a change that allowed him to utilize his speed more effectively.
"It was definitely a whole new world of hockey," Battaglia said. "I’ve never really had any experience playing down the middle, so I really enjoyed it because I felt like I could use my speed a little bit more and attack with more speed, rather than being flat-footed on the wall. I had a lot of fun playing center and I’m pretty excited to hopefully keep that up."
