Right now, Hughes feels like a luxury for a team that already has Adam Fox as its No. 1 defenseman and power-play quarterback. A dynamic proven point producer to play in the top-six forward group is the more immediate need for the Rangers, if they’re going big-game hunting any time soon. Especially with the possibility high-flying forward Artemi Panarin bolts as a free agent next summer.

Of course, the flip side to that argument is that superstars in their prime — regardless of what position they play — demand your attention if they become available, either through free agency or trade. Chris Dury would do a disservice to the Rangers organization if he didn’t check in about Hughes and find out what’s the cost of doing business with the Canucks.

Really, that’s the crux of NHL insider Dave Pagnotta’s take that the Rangers are serious about Hughes

“Do I think it’s going to happen tomorrow? No. Do I think he’s going to be a New York Ranger? I don’t know yet. It’s still way too early in that process,” Pagnotta explained Wednesday on the Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast. “But in terms of teams that I anticipate to be in the mix in a more serious rather than just poking around type of situation, I think the Rangers are going to be one of them with where they’re at, with the owner they’ve got, and with a clear lack of desire to go through a rebuild. I think the New York Rangers … are one of those teams that will try to step up to this.”

And let’s face it, whether goals and points come from the forwards or the back end, the Rangers need to score more 5v5 and on the power play. Through 32 games, they’re 29th in the NHL, averaging 2.56 goals per game. The Rangers were shut out Wednesday for the sixth time this season, losing 3-0 to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hughes has 431 points (61 goals, 370 assists) in 458 career games, slightly better numbers than Fox (395 points also in 458 games). Each has a Norris Trophy on his resume (Fox in 2021; Hughes in 2024), and each recorded 70 or more points three times.

Of course, each is used to playing big minutes as the top dog on defense, and there’d have to be a shift in mindset about shared roles. But, hey, it certainly worked for the Rangers in 1994, when they won the Stanley Cup with Brian Leetch and Sergei Zubov, two highly-skilled Hall-of-Fame defensemen, anchoring the top two defense pairs.

That’s not an apples to apples comparison, since Leetch and Zubov each were Rangers draft picks, with the latter establishing himself after Leetch already won the Calder and Norris Trophies. A closer comparison is one Rangers coach Mike Sullivan knows well from his days with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who acquired Erik Karlsson when they already had Kris Letang. That hasn’t worked out so well.

But Fox paired with Vladislav Gavrikov, and Hughes alongside Will Borgen? There’s lots to like there, for sure.

So, let’s play along and break down what a possible Rangers trade for Hughes could look like.

What it could take for Rangers to land Quinn Hughes in a trade

Hughes earns a reasonable $7.85 million annually, and his contract runs through 2026-27. The Rangers have $3.709 million in available salary cap space, per PuckPedia. And that’s factoring in LTIR ramifications, since Fox, Matt Rempe, and Adam Edstrom each is on long-term injured reserve.

The Canucks have less than $200,000 in available cap space, with defenseman Derek Forbort on LTIR.

A smooth financial fit for each side is to have Alexis Lafreniere be the main return for Hughes, since the 24-year-old makes $7.45 million through 2031-32. So, for argument’s sake, the Rangers trade Lafreniere, one of their two first-round picks in the 2026 draft, and a prospect, say Brennan Othmann, for Hughes. Maybe the Rangers also get a mid-level prospect or mid-round draft pick back as well. Perhaps, the Canucks want rookie defenseman Scott Morrow included in the deal, since they’ll need a good, young puck distributor to help fill the Hughes void.

That may not be enough for the Canucks, who can expect serious offers from many teams, including the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, and Detroit Red Wings. But it’s an intriguing offer, especially since the Canucks long had interest in Lafreniere.

Nick Kypreos: Re Quinn Hughes: It seems the going rate for a team wishing to acquire Hughes is a combination of four or five pieces, including roster players, prospects and first-rounders. The Canucks are seeking those first-rounders to be unprotected – Sportsnet (12/9)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) December 11, 2025

If it’s not enough, and the Rangers really want Hughes, do they swallow hard and include top prospect Gabe Perreault? That’d leave the Rangers mighty thin in their top-six forward group. Lafreniere is currently a staple there, and if he’s traded, Perreault is the most logical fit to replace him. It’s difficult to see the Rangers sending both forwards, plus a first-round pick, to the Canucks for a player we already deemed a luxury.

In this iteration, Perreault feels a bit untouchable. So, too, do young forwards Will Cuylle and Noah Laba. So, Lafreniere, Morrow, Othmann, and a first-rounder for Hughes. And maybe the Rangers get a piece to help up front.

Another possibility is the Rangers using Braden Schneider as another central figure in a bigger deal for Hughes. That’s another player the Canucks like a lot, and tried to acquire as recently as last season. Since, Schneider makes $2.2 million per season — though is an RFA with arbitration rights after this one ends — this specific trade scenario needs to be expanded because the numbers don’t add up cap-wise for the Rangers, and it’s not a big enough return from the Canucks point of view.

But how about this blockbuster? The Rangers send Lafreniere, Schneider, Othmann and/or Morrow, and a first-round pick to the Canucks for Hughes and Evander Kane, or Nils Hoglander if you prefer? Kane is a rugged veteran forward making $5.125 million in the final season of his contract. The inconsistent but talented Hoglander, makes $3 million per through 2027-28.

It’s all speculative at this point, though fun to go through the process. One thing for certain is that until he’s traded, Quinn Hughes will be the dominant name in NHL trade rumors.

Fox, who quarterbacks New York’s top power-play unit, sustained a left-arm injury on Nov. 29 that landed him on long-term injured reserve. In his absence, coach Mike Sullivan opted to use a five-forward setup with the No. 1 power-play group, with their top scorer, left wing Artemi Panarin, running the show.

The 2021 Norris Trophy winner and a 2023 finalist was tied for the Rangers scoring lead with Panarin at 26 points when he landed on LTIR. Fox has resumed skating, but is expected to miss several weeks.

His absence brought the power play to a crashing halt.

The Rangers were 0-for-3 and allowed a short-handed goal in a poorly played 3-0 road loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. In the five games since Fox’s injury, the Rangers are 0-for-11 with the extra man and have a total of 14 shots on goal. Without Fox, the Rangers are out-scored 1-0 on their own power play.

“It’s one goal,” center Vincent Trocheck said about Louis Crevier’s shorty 7:08 into the second period that gave Chicago a lead it never relinquished. “We have a ton of game left. We can’t let that happen. That’s on us.”

Sullivan changed his power-play strategy during the game, moving rookie Scott Morrow into the quarterback role, and said afterward that he’s junking the five-forward approach, at least for now.

“They showed us enough to stay with it for as long as we have, but they showed us enough to make a change,” he said after the loss. “We put a defenseman up there. I’m not sure what we’re going to do moving forward, but obviously Fox is not an easy guy to replace.”

Rangers look for answers to Fox-less power-play issues

That’s an understatement. The Rangers were 13-for-61 (21.3 percent) on the power play in 27 games with Fox but have yet to score without him. He has a point on eight of the 13 power-play goals.

It’s also a big change from what Sullivan touted after practice Tuesday.

“I think the guys have done a really good job,” he said then. “We are competing hard. … I think the guys that have stepped in have done a really good job, just as far as bringing what they bring and not trying to do too much, playing within themselves, defending hard. So, we’ll continue to work at it.”

It looked like Morrow was going to be quarterbacking the power play when the Montreal Canadiens come to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. But he was not on the top power-play unit at practice Friday — in fact, he and forward Johnny Brodzinski were not among the four forward lines or three defense pairs on the ice, indicating they’re unlikely to play Saturday.

Instead, Mika Zibanejad replaced Panarin at the point on PP1, and Vladislav Gavrikov, Fox’s regular partner, played on PP2 with four forwards.

But perhaps a bigger problem is the Rangers’ inability to draw power plays in the first place.

They’ve had just 72 opportunities in 32 games, an NHL-low 2.25 advantages per contest. In the five games without Fox, that average is 2.20 – including the 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, when they didn’t have a single power play. They have more than three power plays in a game just three times this season.

Of their three man-advantages against the Blackhawks, two came in the final 13 minutes of the third period — after Chicago took a three-goal lead. They had all of one shot on goal in six minutes with the extra man, matching the Blackhawks total shorthanded.

Captain J.T. Miller said his team wasn’t very good with or without the extra man.

“They outcompeted us and outexecuted us,” Miller said. “We had trouble getting on the inside. It’s hard to score when you’re on the outside on the O-zone. They’re a man-on-man team. They kept us on the outside most of the night, created a lot of turnovers and defended well.”

The Rangers lived by the power play in 2023-24, scoring on 26.4 percent (65-for-246) of their opportunities when they won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL regular-season champion. They dropped to 17.6 percent (37-for-210) last season, when they missed the playoffs, and are on pace for just 34 PPGs and 185 attempts this season. Those are numbers that could well keep them out of the postseason again.

The NHL insider first mentioned the Rangers’ interest in Hughes on Monday.

“With all the attention on the New Jersey Devils and Quinn Hughes lately – and yes, the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers have been lumped in there, too – another team to look out for is the New York Rangers,” Pagnotta wrote in The Fourth Period. “That would allocate a lot of dollars to their back end, but it wouldn’t shock me to see the Blueshirts taking a swing.”

Given a chance by co-hosts Jonny Lazarus and Colby Cohen to walk back his take on the Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast Wednesday, Pagnotta remained firm in his belief that the Rangers are seriously interested in the All-Star defenseman.

“Do I think it’s going to happen tomorrow? No. Do I think he’s going to be a New York Ranger? I don’t know yet. It’s still way too early in that process,” Pagnotta explained. “But in terms of teams that I anticipate to be in the mix in a more serious rather than just poking around type of situation, I think the Rangers are going to be one of them with where they’re at, with the owner they’ve got, and with a clear lack of desire to go through a rebuild. I think the New York Rangers … are one of those teams that will try to step up to this.”

Pagnotta admitted most, if not all, general managers will check in with their Canucks counterpart, Patrik Allvin, to see if the Canucks really would trade Hughes, the 2023-24 Norris Trophy winner as top defenseman in the NHL.

However, Pagnotta’s bigger point is that only a select group of teams would be in serious pursuit of the 26-year-old … and the Rangers are in that mix.

“I think this is a team that’s going to be interested in actually making an attempt to acquire him.”

NHL insider believes Rangers would love to ‘get their hands on Quinn Hughes’

The Canucks are in freefall for the second straight season, just two years after they finished first in the Pacific Division. They traded J.T. Miller to the Rangers on Jan. 31 last season and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Canucks (11-16-3) are last in the NHL standings with the Christmas break less than two weeks way and let other teams know they’re willing to discuss possible trades involving their pending free agents.

Hughes is under contract at a very affordable $7.85 million annually through the 2026-27 season. So, he is not a pending free agent. However, with all the talk about Hughes leaving to possibly reunite with brothers Jack and Luke with the New Jersey Devils in two summers, and no belief that he’ll stay long term in Vancouver, the Canucks likely want to end the distraction, cut the cord and move him sooner rather than later — especially considering their poor on-ice performance.

Pierre Lebrun stated this week on TSN that moving Hughes ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline likely affords the Canucks the best return package. But is this the type of trade the Rangers even have an appetite for?

🎙️| Quinn Hughes on the #NJDevils HNIC trade rumours as well as the Canucks rumours in general

“It wasn’t like, if there was a call, me, Jim and Fitzy hopped on the call. You know, I wasn’t apart of that but obviously I’m aware things like that could happen, for sure.” pic.twitter.com/vTSX1hKW9o

— Hughes Updates (@_hughesupdates) December 7, 2025

In the immediate short term, it’d be a boon to land Hughes with Adam Fox on LTIR with an upper-body injury. But no deal of this magnitude will come together that quickly, and Fox isn’t expected to be sidelined for months. In fact, Fox is skating on his own, and misses his fifth game Wednesday when the Rangers visit the Chicago Blackhawks.

A potential Hughes trade is fascinating to consider for the Rangers. His addition would give New York a top four on defense featuring Fox with Vladislav Gavrikov, and Hughes with Will Borgen. That’d be among the best in the League. But are there enough minutes and high-end responsibility to keep Fox and Hughes — each a Norris Trophy winner — content? And what about sinking all that cap space on those two and Gavrikov on the back end?

Plus any trade likely weakens the Rangers at the forward position, assuming Alexis Lafreniere and/or Gabe Perreault are part of the return.

Nonetheless, it’s an intriguing topic to ponder, and rumor to follow. Let’s see as things progress if Pagnotta is spot on about how deeply the Rangers get involved.

“I would not be surprised if they not just inquire, but take a swing and see if they can get their hands on Quinn Hughes.”

The 6-foot-9 wing participated in drills wearing a no-contact red jersey. Coach Mike Sullivan also disclosed that Rempe is making the trip to Chicago with the Rangers, who visit the Blackhawks at United Center on Wednesday. That could be a sign the 23-year-old will be a full participant in practice sooner rather than later.

Look who’s back today. Matt Rempe is practicing in no-contact red. Edstrom, though, is still not out there. pic.twitter.com/GRa6gff3Bk

— Colin Stephenson (@ColinSNewsday) December 9, 2025

After facing the Blackhawks, the Rangers do not play again until Saturday, when they host the Montreal Canadiens, giving them two more days between games.

“He skated a fair amount on his own with our skills coaches. The next step is to get him around the group in a team setting in a non-contact jersey. That’s what he was today,” Sullivan said after practice. “And then. obviously. the final step is to get him into game role scenarios.”

Rempe has one goal and seven penalty minutes in nine games this season. He played every game to start the season and was a force on the forecheck as well as a committed defensive player. Rempe toned down the theatrics and controversy that were a big part of his first two NHL seasons, and appeared to turn the corner as a trusted bottom-six player on the fourth line.

Which makes it ironic that Rempe was hurt in a fight, his first of the season.

Rempe’s return, when it happens, will be most welcome by the Rangers, who’ve had numerous players take shifts on fourth line, centered by Sam Carrick. The other usual staple on that unit, Adam Edstrom, also is injured. Edstrom didn’t practice Tuesday nor will he make the trip to Chicago. He’ll be out for the fourth straight game.

Sullivan noted that Edstrom is taking part in the “return-to-play protocol,” but didn’t specify the nature of the 6-foot-7 forward’s injury. Edstrom has four points (two goals, two assists) in 24 games this season.

UPDATE: The Rangers placed Edstrom on LTIR on Wednesday morning

Adam Fox skates on own, remains on LTIR for Rangers

Sullivan had another small dose of positive injury news Tuesday. He revealed that Adm Fox skated twice on his own since the star defenseman landed on LTIR with an upper-body injury nine days ago.

Fox must miss a minimum of 10 games; Wednesday marks the fifth game he’s out. There’s been no timetable placed on when Fox will actually return, though it’s not expected to be months.

Without the 2021 Norris Trophy winner as top NHL defenseman, the Rangers are 2-0-2, taking six of eight points last week. The Rangers defeated one of the best teams in the League, the Dallas Stars, in overtime a week ago and lost twice in OT to the League-leading Colorado Avalanche and high-flying Vegas Golden Knights.

Sullivan’s pleased with how the Rangers fared without Fox to this point.

“I think the guys have done a really good job, they’re competing hard,” Sullivan said. “He’s not an easy guy to replace. He plays a lot of minutes, first and foremost. He helps us with our transition game, his ability to move the puck, join the offense. He’s active off the offensive blue line, helps us on the power play — and he defends hard.

“I think the guys that have stepped in have done a real good job as far as bringing what they bring, not trying to do too much, playing within themselves.”

And that could lead to a reunion with a veteran defenseman who recently played for the Rangers.

“I’ve heard that the Rangers, with Adam Fox being out, are seeing if there’s something they can find for a power-play quarterback,” Elliotte Friedman reported on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast. “They got a big win over Ottawa on Thursday night, they had only one power play and were 0-for-1 on it, hardly much of a sample size, but I do think they are looking for somebody out there.

“One of the names I kind of heard being thrown around is Erik Gustafsson, which would make some sense. He’s in the American Hockey League and they know him. He had [25] assists a few years ago (2023-24) in a season for the Rangers.”

The idea of a Gustafsson reunion on Broadway is not an outrageous one. The 33-year-old is on the outs with the Detroit Red Wings, currently playing for their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. It wouldn’t take much to acquire him, and he’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Gustafsson carries a $2 million salary cap hit — but most important is that he’s an experienced and skilled puck distributor from the blue line.

When Fox missed four weeks of action with a knee injury in November 2023, Gustafsson stepped up for the Rangers and recorded points in nine of the 10 games, totaling 11 points (one goal, 10 assists). The Rangers were 7-2-1 in Fox’s absence, and Gustafsson was a big reason why.

In his only season with them, Gustafsson helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy and reach the 2024 Eastern Conference Final, largely in a third defense-pair role and as a staple on the second power-play unit. Gustafsson finished with 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) in 76 regular-season games, and had three assists in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games that spring.

He signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Red Wings in the summer of 2024 but struggled last season with poor defensive play and only 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) in 60 games. He’s been in the minors for all but one game this season.

NHL Insider sees a possible Rangers reunion with Erik Gustafsson

The Rangers are 0-for-6 on the power play in two games without Fox running point. Coach Mike Sullivan deploys a five-forward grouping on their top power-play unit, with Artemi Panarin assuming the quarterback role.

Sullivan thought that five-forward unit looked better as it got more reps Tuesday in a 3-2 overtime victory against the Dallas Stars. The Rangers finished 0-for-5 but had six shots on goal during an impressive four-minute power play in the third period.

There were fewer good looks on their lone power play in a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

When asked earlier in the week why he simply didn’t insert a defenseman like Scott Morrow or Braden Schneider to replace Fox on PP1, Sullivan was direct with his answer.

“Because we don’t think that’s the strength to their games at this point,” he stated Monday.

Assuming Fox isn’t out for months, the Rangers could simply roll with the five-forward look on PP1. And if it really doesn’t work out, Morrow, Schneider, or even Vladislav Gavrikov, could slot in for the time being.

Trading for Gustafsson would knock the rookie Morrow out of the lineup. And, at least for two games, Morrow’s not shown he deserves to sit in the press box nor be sent back to AHL Hartford. Plus Gustafsson is a left-handed shot — not a perfect fit on the third pair even though the veteran is capable of playing his off (right) side.

But what’s the old phrase, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire”? Let’s see if the Rangers think a reunion with Gustafsson is worth a short-term fix until Fox is healthy again.

“I don’t think there’s anything done there by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know they’re looking around to see if there’s someone they can find while Fox is out,” Friedman concluded.

“He’s a great defenseman, and he can play offense,” Shesterkin said Tuesday after his fellow Russian’s overtime winner gave the Rangers a 3-2 victory against the Dallas Stars at Madison Square Garden. “I’m not shocked he scored the OT goal.”

Gavrikov didn’t score more than six goals in any of his first seven NHL seasons. The six-goal season came in 2023-24, two years after he set a career high with 33 points. But the overtime winner Tuesday was his fifth goal in 28 games this season, matching his total for all of 2024-25 with the Los Angeles Kings. His two goals and two assists in the Rangers’ past five games are a big reason they are on a 4-1-0 run ahead of their game against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

GAVI CALLED GAME. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/GSD11CqEmW

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 3, 2025

On the winning goal, Mika Zibanejad fed Artemi Panarin, who teed up a shot from the slot. Dallas goalie Casey DeSmith made the save but couldn’t control the rebound; Gavrikov was alone in front, grabbed the rebound, and backhanded the puck into the net for the win.

It was a victory the Rangers desperately needed after they no-showed in a 4-1 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

This one didn’t come easily. They trailed 2-1 with less than three minutes remaining before Will Cuylle scored with Shesterkin on the bench for an extra attacker – the first time they tied a game in the final three minutes of the third period since March 2, 2024.

Cuylle’s goal gave Gavrikov the opportunity to be the overtime hero, and he delivered.

“Mika and ‘Bread’ (Panarin) made a great move and I saw an opportunity to jump in front of Bread and create a little confusion,” Gavrikov said of his goal. “He got a shot. Obviously, I thought he was going to score, but the rebound, got it done with that.”

Coach Mike Sullivan is among those who’s been pleasantly surprised by Gavrikov’s contributions on offense.

“I don’t know that we thought 20-something games in he’d have five goals,” the coach said postgame. “Obviously, his core competency is his ability to defend. He’s hard to play against. He’s one of the better defending defensemen, we think, in the League. Having said that, we believe has the ability to help our offense, whether it be with outlet passes or joining the rush or being active off the offensive blue line.

“I won’t lie. I’m surprised with how effective he’s been just with his instincts — in particular, the way he jumps off the offensive blue line.”

Vladislav Gavrikov giving Rangers unexpected offensive boost

The winning goal came on a play that saw Gavrikov go to the front of the net, something the 30-year-old defenseman’s been doing effectively of late. He scored on a deflection from in front during the Rangers’ 6-2 win against the Bruins in Boston on Friday, and displays more willingness to get involved in the attack in New York that he did in his previous stops in Columbus and Los Angeles.

“Turns out he’s also one of our better net-front guys, too,” center Vincent Trocheck said. “He’s always at the net now. Two tips, he scores a rebound goal in overtime. Just stick him there.”

The Rangers need more from Gavrikov with Fox on long-term injured reserve. Braden Schneider moved up to partner with him on the top pair against Dallas, and Sullivan used a five-forward setup on his top power-play unit. The Blueshirts overcame the loss of their top puck-moving defenseman and power-play quarterback for one night, but Gavrikov said over the long term, compensating for Fox’s absence must be a group effort.

“It’s going to be probably on all of us, I would say,” he said. “Every single one of the D got to make a step in the game. Obviously, ‘Foxy’ is big for our team, playing big minutes offensively, on the power play. So it’s hard to replace him, but we got to try and [that] responsibility [falls] on all of us.”

To that end, veteran defenseman Carson Soucy also scored in the win Tuesday.

“We showed (Tuesday) how we can play. Raise the bar. Got to keep the standard like that and play like that every night”

Sullivan is confident that Gavrikov will continue to be the tentpole for the defense corps while Fox is sidelined.

“We have a lot of faith in him,” he said. “He’s helped us on the offensive side more than we had expected. He’s confident and the way he’s jumping off that offensive blue line is certainly instinctive.”

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.

GAVI TIPS AND SCORES 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NQfyPwCyyG

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 28, 2025

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.

New York placed Fox on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) after he sustained an upper-body injury during a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. That means the 2020-21 Norris Trophy winner must miss at least 10 games or 24 days before he can return to the ice.

“‘Foxy’ is not an easy guy to replace for so many reasons,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged after practice Monday. “I’m sure I’m stating the obvious when I say that.”

Fox’s 26 points through 27 games are tied with Artemi Panarin for the team lead, and are second-most among all NHL defensemen, trailing only Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (32).

His impact is felt particularly on the power play, where he quarterbacks New York’s top unit.

Despite a slow start this season, New York’s power play ranks 12th in the League with a success rate of 21.3 percent. Fox recorded points on eight of New York’s 13 power-play goals, including assists on five of their past six.

“Foxy is an elite power-play defenseman with how he distributes the puck up there, the way he sees the game,” Sullivan lauded. “He’s got really good instincts.”

Replacing Fox is no easy task. The Rangers don’t have another defenseman on par with Fox’s playmaking skills nor ability to drive offense — few teams across the League do.

That’s why Sullivan is opting to roll with five forwards on the top power-play unit, when the Rangers host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The coach decided to bypass defensemen Vladislav Gavrikov, Braden Schneider, and Scott Morrow on PP1 for a simple reason.

“We don’t think that’s the strength of their games to this point,” Sullivan explained. “We’re trying to put a power play together that we think gives us the best opportunity to have success.”

For now, that’s the unit they rolled out against the Lightning after Fox’s injury in the third period. It features Will Cuylle joining fellow forwards Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck, and J.T. Miller.

Rangers coach keeps open mind on 5-forward power-play unit

Though Cuylle won’t replace Fox positionally at the point, it’s wise to pivot to a player who’s already had success on that unit this season.

Cuylle got a six-game stint earlier this season with PP1, manning the net front and scoring twice — including a goal on his first shift with the top group. In that stretch, the Rangers’ No. 1 unit scored power-play goals in all but one game.

It’s a formula that’s worked before, and it’s worth revisiting. Plus, with Cuylle in front of the net, players like Zibanejad and Miller have more freedom to hunt scoring chances on the wing.

As for who replaces Fox at the point, Sullivan mentioned Panarin and Zibanejad as the top options, although it was Panarin who played quarterback at practice Monday.

“I think ‘Bread’ sees it really well,” noted Sullivan. “His ability to get pucks down to the net — into the areas of the rink where we want to get them — I think is a particular attribute that he’s good at.”

If the Rangers seek a player who can best mimic Fox’s playmaking on the power play, Panarin’s skillset provides the closest match. Much like Fox, Panarin has the vision and patience necessary to be an elite distributor, and it shouldn’t limit him from being a scoring threat.

Here's Artemi Panarin on playing the point for PP1:

"I think I have more options. More play with the puck, which I like… It's probably the best position to see the ice, because you can go on both sides. From the right side or left side, it's hard to make it seam (passes) and…

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) December 1, 2025

While there’s nothing that indicates this unit will suddenly ascend to an elite level in Fox’s wake, there’s enough talent remaining to keep it competitive. Bigger issues lie on the defensive side.

The main concern with an all-forward power play is the increased risk of short-handed chances going back the other way. And though the Rangers are more reliable defensively this season, they’re far from immune to surrendering odd-man rushes.

“We’re going to see how it plays out,” the coach said. “Obviously, we need to have some conscience when we’re on the power play with five forwards — without a doubt — and that’s a conversation that we’ll have.”

For the time being, it’s a risk New York should accept. The Rangers struggled to put together a successful second power-play unit in past years, and this season is no different.

Thus, the onus falls on the top unit to find the back of the net. And for now, a five-forward group is the most potent look New York can piece together.

Rangers can pivot to defensemen if top power-play unit falters

Sullivan isn’t locked into a five-forward power play if results disappoint, or if the defensive risk is too much.

Gavrikov ranks second among Rangers defensemen with 11 points. Schneider is third with six points. Each would be defensively responsible substitutes, albeit a bit lacking as power-play distributors — something Sullivan indicated. Schneider will take Fox’s spot on the top pairing at even strength alongside Gavrikov, however.

Of course, the most intriguing option is Morrow, who profiles as a puck-moving defenseman and, in theory, a natural fit on the power play.

Morrow was an offensive standout at the University of Massachusetts and displayed similar ability in the American Hockey League last season with the Chicago Wolves, tallying 39 points in 52 games en-route to an AHL All-Star nod.

But he’s been less impressive thus far with the Rangers, who acquired him over the summer from the Carolina Hurricanes in the K’Andre Miller trade. Inconsistent play on the back end led to sheltered minutes through four NHL games with New York, and he didn’t stand out with the Hartford Wolf Pack either. Morrow was minus-6 with one goal and three points in 12 games to begin the 2025-26 AHL season.

With stronger competition and a faster game in the NHL, it’s quite the leap to thrust Morrow — who’s logged under a minute on the man-advantage with the Rangers — into the top power-play unit after limited production and playing time.

Asked what Morrow needs to do to earn trust, Sullivan responded, “Assertive play, making decisions with conviction, and not being in between — eliminating hesitation from his game.”

It’s likely Morrow will have the chance to showcase that ability since he practiced with the second power-play unit on Monday. Should he impress, it’s not unreasonable to think the 23-year-old could get bumped up to the top group at some point.

As it currently stands, though, New York is better off banking on their star forwards to keep an inconsistent power play afloat.

“It’s an opportunity to step up and see if I can’t put the big boy pants on and do a job for us,” Schneider stated after practice.

Schneider bumped up from the third defense pair to take Fox’s spot on the No. 1 pair with Vladislav Gavrikov during practice Monday. Fox is out for at least 10 games, per the rules of being on LTIR, leaving a massive hole in the Rangers lineup for at least this month, if not longer.

Fox averages more than 23 minutes of ice-time per game; he and Gavrikov regularly play against opposing team’s top forwards 5v5. The 2021 Norris Trophy winner is also tied for the Rangers lead with 26 points, and ranks second among all NHL defensemen in scoring. His team-high 23 assists include 10 during his current six-game point streak.

The 27-year-old assisted on J.T. Miller’s goal Saturday in a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, in the third period, Fox was blasted hard into the boards on a clean shoulder-to-shoulder check by Brandon Hagel, and didn’t finish the game

Here’s the play where Fox got hurt. Looks like that left arm took the brunt of it. He did not return. #NYR pic.twitter.com/ZHu0ykVH9z

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) November 29, 2025

Rangers coach Mike Sullivan made sure to point out that it’s not just one player who must pick up the slack with Fox out, it’s the entire group. But make no mistake, there’ll be a lot more responsibility placed on Schneider now.

“I’ll do my best to play fast, play hard, and play the game I know how to play,” the 24-year-old explained. “Hopefully, we can get some wins.”

Schneider’s handled an increased role with more penalty-killing and power-play time already this season. His average TOI through 27 games sits at a career-high 18:27. And, as his “big boys pants” comment suggests, he’s been seeking a bigger opportunity 5v5 for quite some time now, after spending much of his five seasons as a third-pair staple.

With Fox and Will Borgen locked in ahead of him on the right side in the top four, Schneider remained on the bottom pair again this season. But now, he gets his chance to prove he’s capable of handling more important minutes against the League’s best, beginning Tuesday when the Rangers host the Dallas Stars at Madison Square Garden.

Speaking about the Gavrikov-Schneider pairing, Sullivan said “I think they just need to play their game.”

“I think that’s when they’re at their best. So, I think simplicity is an important element of that, defending hard, efficiency with the puck. I think that’s the game they play when they’re ay their best. And that’s what we expect them to bring.”

Rookie Scott Morrow, as expected, replaced Schneider on the third defense pair alongside Matthew Robertson.

Adam Edstrom injured during Rangers practice; Brennan Othmann recalled from AHL Hartford

As if losing one Adam from the lineup wasn’t enough for the Rangers, Adam Edstrom sustained a lower-body injury during practice Monday. The towering forward left the ice early, and Sullivan said he’s being evaluated for the LBI.

The Rangers later recalled forward Brennan Othmann from Hartford of the American Hockey League. The 2021 first-round pick has one goal and seven points in 15 games with Hartford. He was scoreless in his only game with the Rangers earlier this season, Oct. 26 against the Calgary Flames. He’s without a goal in 26 NHL games over parts of three seasons.

The Rangers have 14 forwards on the active roster, though only 12 practiced Monday. Taylor Raddysh missed practice due to personal reasons, so Conor Sheary, a healthy scratch the past three games, slotted in on the fourth line and second power-play unit.

Edstrom has four points (two goals, two assists) in 24 games this season, and is tied for second on the Rangers with a plus-5 rating.

A pitiful performance (with the exception of goalie Igor Shesterkin) in a 4-1 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday took a lot of the glow off a week that saw them win three straight games – including a 4-2 road win against the first-place Carolina Hurricanes on Thanksgiving Eve. The Rangers basically mailed it in against the Bolts, earning serenades of boos from the Madison Square Garden faithful.

But the really bad news came a day later, when the Rangers reportedly put their best defenseman, Adam Fox, on long-term injured reserve with a left shoulder injury stemming from a big hit by Lightning forward Brandon Hagel seven minutes into the third period.

Going on LTIR means Fox has to miss at least 10 games and 24 days, effectively meaning the earliest he could return is after the Christmas break.

Fox had been on a roll before the injury, piling up 10 assists in six games to earn a share of the team scoring lead with Artemi Panarin; each has 26 points. The 2021 Norris Trophy winner is second to Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche among NHL defensemen in scoring; he and Makar are tied for the most assists among defensemen with 23. He had the primary assist on J.T. Miller’s goal Saturday.

His absence blows a giant hole in the Rangers’ defense corps. Coach Mike Sullivan must replace his No. 1 power-play quarterback, a D-man who’s averaged 70 points during the past four seasons – and a defenseman who’s averaging 23:50 of ice time.

Fox is as irreplaceable a skater as the Rangers have. Being without him, even for the LTIR minimum, will make getting into the Stanley Cup Playoffs even more difficult.

Who’s hot

Shesterkin had a terrific week, posting a 3-1-0 record, allowing nine goals on 114 shots, starting all four games. He stole the win in Carolina by outplaying Frederik Andersen and kept the Rangers in the game against the Lightning on a day they were outshot 35-13.

Who’s not

Conor Sheary came to training camp on a PTO and earned a roster spot as a lineup regular. His lack of production, though, earned him a seat in the press box in each of the past three games. He’s gone nine games without a point and has no goals and five assists in 24 games.

Rangers lookahead this week includes …

A second straight stretch of four games in six days, with three of the four at The Garden. Whether that’s a good thing for the League’s worst home team (2-8-1) is a separate question.

Dallas Stars at Rangers (Dec. 2, 7 p.m.; MSG2)

The Stars swept their four games last week to improve to 17-5-4, a record that would put them on top of any division except the one they play in. Dallas enters the week four points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the Central Division lead.

The Rangers and Stars split road wins last season, with Dallas winning 5-4 at MSG on Jan. 7.

The Blueshirts must find a way to shut down Jason Robertson, who has 13 goals and 22 points in his past 10 games. Robertson has three goals and six points in seven games against the Rangers. Jake Oettinger, the Stars’ No, 1 goalie, is 1-2-1 against the Rangers with a 3.62 goals-against average and .871 save percentage. Backup Casey DeSmith is 3-2-2 with a 3.51 GAA and .874 save percentage.

Panarin is a point-a-game player against the Stars (23 games; two goals, 21 assists). Shesterkin dominates the Stars; he’s 6-1-1 with a 2.38 GAA and .929 save percentage.

Rangers at Ottawa Senators (Dec. 4, 7 p.m., MSG)

This is the Rangers first visit to Canadian Tire Centre since March 8, when they blew a 3-1 lead in the final 10 minutes of regulation and lost 4-3 in overtime, missing a chance to move into a wild-card spot. It was one of the landmark games in their fall from Presidents’ Trophy winners in 2023-24 to early vacationers a year later.

The Senators begin the week at 12-9-4, tied with the Rangers at 28 points despite playing two fewer games. They’ve struggled to keep the puck out of their net; starting goalie Linus Ullmark has a save percentage of just .880. He is 6-3-1 all-time against the Rangers.

New York is 4-0-1 against Ottawa in their past five meetings. Mika Zibanejad has fared well against his former team; he has nine goals and 22 points in 19 games against them. Panarin has 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 25 games vs. the Senators.

Colorado Avalanche at Rangers (Dec. 6, 12:30 p.m., MSG)

The Rangers seek some revenge when the League-leading Avalanche come to the Garden for a Saturday matinee. They battled the Avalanche inch for inch on Nov. 20 in Denver, before losing 6-3 (the last two goals were empty-netters).

The Avalanche won three in a row and seven of the past 10 against the Rangers. New York hasn’t beaten Colorado in regulation since a 5-3 win at the Garden on Jan. 7, 2020.

Nathan MacKinnon, the NHL scoring leader who had the game-winner in Denver, has 10 goals and 25 points in 21 games against the Rangers. Scoring against the Avalanche isn’t easy – their 55 goals allowed (in 25 games) is 16 fewer than the runner-up Stars, and they’ve lost just once in regulation.

Miller has 10 goals in 22 career games against the Avs.

Vegas Golden Knights at Rangers (Dec. 7, 7 p.m.; MSG/NHL Network)

This is another rematch – the Golden Knights edged the Rangers 3-2 at T-Mobile Arena on Nov. 18. New York swept the two-game season series in 2024-25 and is 3-2-2 against the Golden Knights at MSG.

Vegas struggles to win games that go beyond regulation. It’s lost six times in overtime and twice in as many shootouts.

The Rangers could face former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, who was recalled from Henderson of the AHL on Sunday. He’s expected to make his debut for Vegas on Tuesday in Chicago. His suspension, stemming from the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, expires Monday. He is 4-6-3 lifetime against the Rangers.

With the Blueshirts playing back-to-back games and Jonathan Quick entering the week still sidelined with a lower-body injury, Spencer Martin could make his Rangers debut against the Golden Knights, He’s 2-0-0 against them, allowing one goal in each game.