Adam Fox lights up the scoresheet and eyes around the Rangers
Adam Fox was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes before the mad rush of the offseason began on April 30th. His acquisition immediately vaulted him to the top of the Rangers prospect pool on defense and apparently made Kevin Shattenkirk expendable.
The 21 year old is a right shot defenseman, who just completed his junior year at Harvard. He had a great campaign, tallying 48 points in 33 games, and was a Hobey Baker award finalist losing to another top prospect, Cale Makar. Prospect connoisseurs consider Fox to be the third best defensive prospect in all of hockey behind only Cale Makar (COL) and Quinn Hughes (VAN). Is it just a coincidence that all three guys played in the NCAA, or is it a breeding ground for great NHL blue-liners? Over the last few years, it seems a lot like the latter.
Fox Trot
Last night, Fox who now wears the number 23 lit up the scoreboard and the eyes of teammates, coaches, management, and fans alike. He finished the the contest with 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in the tournament. Well according to Vitali Kravtsov he has 6 points, but whether he has 6 or 5 points, Fox was as one hockey executive told me, “impressive”.
Aside from wowing the audience, Fox was wearing an A on his sweater and he took pride in it by leading the team on the ice. He was an absolute force last night and was the engine that drove the offense in all aspects of the game. This is exactly what the Rangers were hoping for when they traded for him.
Impact Player
When Fox was acquired, Jeff Gorton gave these insights on the potential (near-future) QB of the Rangers PP. “We think Adam is ready to play now. People talk about a year from now, but a lot can happen in a year, or 16 months. That comes with a lot of ‘if’s.’ So for me, it was easy. We wanted him here and we didn’t want to wait. We want to get moving.”
That’s the type of impact Rangers management expected from Adam Fox and it looks like it started to come to fruition last night. While there are still games to play in the tournament and an entire pre-season to see just how much of a role Fox could play this season, last night was a glimpse into a bright future.
More About:New York Rangers Analysis