Gavrikov, Borgen key factors in stabilizing Rangers defense
The New York Rangers’ scoring struggles in the first 27 games of 2025-26 have often overshadowed what has been a vastly improved defensive approach in their initial season under coach Mike Sullivan.
The Blueshirts, of course, are seeking sustainability in that area, not just a shorter run of games in which they defend well. Sullivan’s system — and his mandate that his team suppress shots and scoring chances — seem to be making that a reality, but two specific factors are giving the Rangers the chance to maintain this transformation: Vladislav Gavrikov and Will Borgen.
Each is a positionally sound, unflashy defenseman who’s played a major role in stabilizing the Blueshirts’ play in their own zone in front of Igor Shesterkin. Gavrikov, the club’s big free-agent addition in the offseason, is solid as advertised; Borgen, despite recent injury problems, raised the level of his play in his first full season with the Rangers.
The results are unmistakable.
Vladislav Gavrikov everything Rangers hoped for – and more
Gavrikov has so far been the rare big-ticket free-agent signing who provided exactly what his team needs from him. The Rangers were desperate for a top-pair partner to play with Adam Fox, someone who allows the 2021 Norris Trophy winner to focus on regaining his elite play-driving ability. Without a solid partner, Fox suffered through something of a down season in 2024-25.
The Rangers targeted Gavrikov, whose affection for them was mutual. On July 1, he inked a seven-year, $49 million contract — likely less than he could have gotten from other teams — and the 6-foot-3, 210-pound veteran of seven NHL seasons continues to be the offense-disrupting, scoring chance-suppressing force he was with the Los Angeles Kings.
Gavrikov has a 56.4 percent expected goal share. playing all 27 games this season, with the Rangers out-chancing opponents 246-190 with him on the ice at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick.
He didn’t finish with an expected goal share below 54 percent in his three seasons with the Kings — and is proving that those results weren’t a product of the L.A.’s stingy defensive system, instead showing that he was an important reason for their prowess in shutting down opponents.
Los Angeles remains an outstanding defensive team this season; it it fourth in the NHL with 2.60 goals allowed per game. That number is up slightly from last season’s average of 2.48 goals allowed per game, which was second in the League. But the Rangers are allowing just 2.63 goals per contest, sixth in the NHL, after giving up 3.11 goals per game (19th) in 2024-25.
Most important is that Gavrikov is the exact complement to Fox the Rangers sought. The duo carries a 59.9 percent expected goal share, and Fox boasts a gaudy 67.3 percent mark when paired with Gavrikov at 5 on 5.
Gavrikov also contributes offensively. He had a goal and an assist in the Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Nov. 22, then added two primary assists in the third period of the Blueshirts’ 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues two days later. Gavrikov also scored to help the Rangers defeat the Boston Bruins 6-2 on Friday, and has four goals and seven assists on the season. The offense probably shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering he totaled 53 points over the previous two seasons.
Gavrikov’s importance to the Rangers is about to become even greater. The Rangers placed Fox on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury – believed to be a left shoulder issue – sustained in a 4-1 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. The LTIR designation forces Fox, who’s recorded 26 points in 27 games, to miss a minimum of 10 games and 24 days — and it’s a major blow to a team already struggling to put the puck in the net.
The Blueshirts need Gavrikov to be the steadying influence for whomever he partners with while Fox, who is expected to be re-evaluated around Christmas, is on the shelf. That will probably be Braden Schneider, who has yet to make a big leap in his fifth NHL season.
Will Borgen raising his game in 1st full season with Rangers
Borgen’s arrival predated Gavrikov’s, as he came to the Rangers last December from the Seattle Kraken in the Kaapo Kakko trade. Borgen immediately helped settle down now-former Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller, and brought a badly-needed physical presence and high battle level to the defense corps.
The Rangers signed him to a five-year, $20.5 million extension in late January, and Borgen is making that deal look like a shrewd investment. He’s posted a career-best 51.5 expected goal share in 20 games this season, with the Rangers out-chancing opponents 143-129 and 68-46 in the high-danger category.
Borgen missed seven of eight games with an upper-body issue before returning against the Lightning. That didn’t go well, with the Rangers getting out-chanced 17-8 with him on at 5-on-5, but the Blueshirts were dominated by Tampa Bay throughout.
The Rangers need the healthy version of Borgen back, especially considering that he’s been mostly paired with Carson Soucy. The veteran tends to be an adventure with the puck, and it’s Borgen who stabilized the partnership. Borgen’s expected goal share without Soucy is 57.3 percent, and Soucy’s without Borgen is 44.7 percent.
The impacts of Gavrikov and Borgen become more pronounced when considering the state of the rest of the defense. Along with Soucy’s play, the other two spots on the blue line haven’t evoked confidence. Schneider has a 44.0 percent expected goal share, largely in line with his career numbers as he’s so far failed to live up to his billing as a 2020 first-round draft pick.
Urho Vaakanainen has a 46.7 percent expected goal share and been in and out of the lineup. Matthew Robertson has shown flashes but often looks like the rookie that he is. Robertson, whose struggles are magnified of late, posted a 44.3 percent expected goal share in 18 games.
Despite those trouble spots, a system better-suited to their personnel and a team-wide commitment to defense under a new coach certainly have plenty to do with the reduction on goals allowed.
But a much sturdier blue line must be considered as big a factor as any in the defensive improvement. The Rangers can thank their two top-four pillars of the defense corps, Gavrikov on the left and Borgen on the right, for doing so much of the heavy lifting.
