Earlier this season, the New York Rangers were one of the better defensive teams in the league. It was a massive turnaround from where they had been the previous few seasons, when they were one of the worst defensive teams. When the season started to spiral, so did the defensive play, and it became clear that more work needed to be done. Outside of their top pair, the rest of the defense needs to be fixed, and that is one of many areas that should be addressed this offseason.
The Top Pairing Should Remain Intact
One of the only bright spots for the defense this season has been the top pair of Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov. When Fox has been healthy, he has been the best defenseman on the team on both sides of the puck. He has scored five goals and recorded 36 points in 42 games while still being elite in his own zone. While his future may be up in the air, he should still be viewed as one of the top defensemen in the league, and the Rangers should feel lucky to have him.
When Gavrikov was signed last offseason, he was seen as the perfect partner for Fox, as his defensive game would match up well with Fox’s offensive mindset. What nobody was expecting was that, along with his great defensive game, he would bring a new level of offense that he had never shown throughout his career so far. He has scored a career-high 14 goals this season, which is tied for seventh most in the league among defensemen. His offense has been a great surprise, and having that alongside his strong defensive mindset, he has been worth every penny of his contract.
The Rest of the Defense Leaves Much to Be Desired
Outside of the top pair, the rest of the defense has been lackluster, to say the least. They are not the best in their own zone, and none of them can move the puck up the ice as well as Fox can. You need puck-moving defensemen if you want to win in this league. The rest of the defense is currently made up of Will Borgen, Braden Schneider, Matt Robertson, and Urho Vaakanainen. Of these players, the one who could have a future on the team is Robertson, but right now, he is playing second-pair minutes when he should be at most a third-pairing player.
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Schneider is a player who has been in trade rumors for a while now, but the team has yet to move on from him. He has been given chances over the years to play in a higher role but has never impressed and is mostly used as a third-pairing player. Borgen was solid earlier on in the season, but his play has fallen off with the rest of the team’s play, and Vaakanainen should be a seventh defenseman at best. Looking at this defense, you can see why the team is struggling, and this is an area of concern that needs to be fixed this offseason.
What Changes Need to Be Made This Offseason?
In order for the Rangers to take the next step, they need to fix the defense. While it can’t all be fixed in one offseason, some changes can and need to be made. The first is trying to trade both Schneider and Borgen. Neither of them should be seen as part of the future in New York, and it would be best to move on from them. Schneider’s name was already being talked about around the trade deadline, so it seems teams will have interest in trading for him this offseason.
If both of these players are traded, who would replace them and how? Well, with the free agent market looking weak this offseason, the trade market is probably where the Rangers will get most of their business done. Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres was in trade rumors last offseason and could be a name of interest for the Rangers this offseason if he is available. They need to add a second pairing left-handed defenseman behind Gavrikov, who can move the puck, and Byram could be the perfect fit. Other names will likely become available once the offseason gets underway, and the Rangers should be interested in any names they think could be part of the future in New York.
They always say that defense wins championships, and right now, the Rangers have a defense that could win them a first overall pick in the draft. Outside of their top pairing, the rest of the defense could be and should be overhauled this offseason. They need to add more puck-moving defensemen while also getting players who can play well in their own zone. While it might not be an easy task, it needs to be done if the Rangers want to become contenders sooner rather than later.
