At age 26, he’s already won the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman (2020-21), been a First-Team All-Star twice (2020-21 and 2022-23) and a Second-Team All-Star once (2023-24). He’s exceeded 70 points in each of the past three seasons, finished at least plus-18 in each of his five seasons in the League and set NHL career highs in goals in each of the past three seasons, including 17 in 2024-24.

That’s quite a list of accomplishments for a player so young.

But Fox has already raised another interesting question: Is he the best right-shot defenseman in Rangers history?

The competition isn’t as tough as you might think. Of the 50 highest-scoring D-men in franchise history, only 18 (including Fox) are right-handed shooters. All five defensemen who’ve played at least 800 games with the Rangers were left-hand shots, as were nine of the 13 defensemen who’ve played for them on the way to the Hockey Hall of Fame. None of the Rangers’ four right-handed shots in the Hall have played more than 288 games with the team; Fox (357) will pass the 400-game mark midway through the season.

Brian Leetch? Brad Park? Harry Howell? Ron Greschner? Each a left-shot defenseman.

Related: Alexis Lafreniere ranked No. 14 among NHL players/prospects under 23

Ranking Adam Fox against best right-shot defensemen in Rangers history

So, is Fox the best right-shot defenseman ever to play for the Rangers? It’s hard to come to any other verdict. Here’s a look at Fox and five of the other top candidates (Minimum 150 games with the Rangers).

Adam Fox

Seasons: 5 (2019-present)

Games played: 357

Scoring (Goals-Assists-Points-Plus/Minus): 53-255-308, Plus-108 (.86 Pt/G)

Here’s a scary thought: Fox is still getting better. His three 70-point seasons are more than any other New York blueliner not named Brian Leetch. His 308 points are already seventh among defensemen in Rangers history. Another 70-point season will push him into the top-four. His peak seasons are still ahead of him.

Fox can do just about everything. He’s effective in his own zone, moves the puck smoothly and quickly in transition, is the best power-play quarterback the Rangers have had since Leetch’s glory days in the 1990s and developed a shooting touch that’s reminiscent of Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom — he doesn’t shoot rockets, but he knows how to get his shots through to the net, where it often goes in or gives teammates the chance to score on tips and rebounds.

The native of Jericho, New York, made it clear while at Harvard that the Rangers were the only team he would play for. They’re lucky he did.

James Patrick

Seasons: 11 (1984-93)

Games played: 671

Scoring (Goals-Assists-Points-Plus/Minus): 104-363-467, Plus-66 (.70 Pt/G)

Patrick was a very good defenseman for the Rangers during his 10-plus seasons — in fact, he was arguably the best right-shot defenseman in team history until Fox came along.

He reached double figures in goals and had at least 40 points for seven straight seasons (1985-86 through 1991-92). He’s third all-time in scoring among Rangers defensemen — and the only right-hand shot among the top five. Patrick is also one of just seven Rangers defensemen to score at least 70 points in a season. He finished plus-34 in 1991-92, the best mark by any Rangers defensemen between 1972-73 and 2005-06.

The only unfortunate part of Patrick’s time in New York was that he missed out on the 1994 Stanley Cup run. After a down season in 1992-93 and a slow start in 1993-94, Patrick was traded to the Hartford Whalers on Nov. 2, 1993, as part of the package that brought back Steve Larmer, a two-way forward who played a key role in the quest for the Cup. The Whalers traded him to the Calgary Flames later in 1993-94; he played four more seasons with the Flames and six with the Buffalo Sabres before finishing his 21-season NHL career in 2004 (he played 2005-06 in Germany before hanging up his skates for good).

Patrick was a solid player who compiled good stats over a long career. But he was never selected for the NHL All-Star Game, never made a postseason All-Star team and never finished better than eighth in voting for the Norris Trophy — which leaves him behind Fox.

Sergei Zubov

Seasons: 3 (1992-95)

Games played: 165

Scoring (Goals-Assists-Points-Plus/Minus): 30-126-156, Plus-17 (.95 Pt/G)

Zubov started his road to the Hockey Hall of Fame with three seasons in New York after the Rangers snagged him with a fifth-round pick in the 1990 NHL Draft.

There was no question about Zubov’s skills right from the start. He came to North America in the fall of 1992, was in the NHL in early December and a regular before the new year began. The following season, he led the Rangers in scoring with 89 points, including 77 assists, still the second-highest single-season total in team history. He followed that by contributing 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) to help the Rangers win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 54 years.

Zubov put up good numbers in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 regular season (10 goals, 36 points in 38 games), then had three goals and 11 points in 10 playoff games. But the Rangers already had a star offensive defenseman in Leetch and wanted a more physical presence, so they traded Zubov to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 1995. The Penguins sent him to the Dallas Stars a year later. He excelled in Dallas for more than a decade, helping the Stars win their first Stanley Cup championship in 1999.

Though Zubov averaged nearly a point per game and won the Stanley Cup with the Rangers, his short time in New York leaves him behind Fox among righties.

Reijo Ruotsalainen

Seasons: 5 (1981-86)

Games played: 389

Scoring (Goals-Assists-Points-Plus/Minus): 99-217-316, Plus-62 (.82 PT/G)

Few fans who saw Ruotsalainen make his NHL debut at the Garden on Oct. 6, 1981, had any idea who he was. They learned pretty quickly.

The Rangers selected the Finland-born defenseman in the sixth round of the 1980 NHL Draft and came to New York after helping Karpat win the championship in Liiga, Finland’s top league.

At 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, “Rexi” was small even by the standards of the early 1980s. But he could fly — few defensemen in the Rangers’ 98-year history were faster. He also had a tremendous shot, although he wasn’t always on target.

Still, he was accurate enough to score 34 goals in his first two NHL seasons, followed by a 20-goal performance in 1983-84. For an encore, he set a still-standing team record for goals by a defenseman in 1984-85 with 28, as well as an NHL career-high 73 points (though he was also minus-22, the only time in his Rangers career that he finished less than plus-17).

Ruotsalainen’s offensive numbers dropped a bit in 1985-86 (though his plus-minus rebounded to plus-22). But his contract was up and Ruotsalainen opted to play a season in Switzerland; the Rangers traded his NHL rights and he returned with the Edmonton Oilers late in 1986-87 and helped them win the Stanley Cup for the third time in four seasons. After two seasons in Europe, he played with the New Jersey Devils and Oilers in 1989-90, helping the Oilers win their fifth title in seven seasons.

Despite five-season offensive totals that are slightly better than Fox’s, Ruotsalainen never finished higher than 13th in voting for the postseason NHL All-Star teams and was chosen for the All-Star Game just once (1986). He was more exciting than Fox, but not as good a player.

Ott Heller

Seasons: 15 (1931-46)

Games played: 649

Scoring (Goals-Assists-Points): 46-176-230 (Plus/Minus not kept) (.35 Pt/G)

Heller played his entire NHL career with the Rangers, signing with the team in 1931 and playing until 1946. He spent three seasons as captain and was the only player who was a member of both the 1933 and 1940 Stanley Cup-winning teams.

To say Heller was durable would be an understatement. He missed all of four games during an eight-season stretch (1933-34 through 1940-41), and his 649 games played are still seventh all-time among Rangers defensemen — but No. 1 among those from the team’s first 25 seasons.

Defensemen weren’t big scorers in Heller’s era, and he broke the 20-point mark just twice in his 15 NHL seasons. His career high was 35 in 1943-44, and his only postseason All-Star selection came in 1940-41, when he was selected to the Second Team after scoring all of 18 points in 48 games. But he was dependable as any team could ask in his own zone, and his offensive numbers would have been a lot higher if he’d played in the expansion era.

It’s hard to compare players from such different eras, but Fox’s abundance of honors puts him ahead of Heller.

Dan Girardi

Seasons: 11 (2007-17)

Games played: 788

Scoring (Goals-Assists-Points-Plus/Minus): 46-184-230, Plus-54 (.29 Pt/G)

No right-shot defenseman in Rangers history has played more games than Girardi, who made a career for himself after signing with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent coming out of junior hockey.

The Rangers called up Girardi midway through 2006-07, his second season in the minors. He turned into one of the most durable Rangers ever, missing a total of five games during his first eight full seasons and averaging 22:15 of ice time with the Rangers. Unlike Fox, Girardi did his best work in his own zone, finishing with at least 123 blocked shots in 10 of his 11 seasons on Broadway, including each of the last nine, and more than 100 hits in all 11.

It’s not that Girardi didn’t produce some offense — he scored 10 goals in his first full NHL season and averaged more than 20 points. That doesn’t look too impressive, until you realize that 57.5 of the face-offs when he was on the ice took place in the defensive zone. He was out there to keep opponents from scoring; his offense was a bonus.

Girardi’s style would have made him an interesting partner for Fox, providing a stay-at-home presence that would let him join the attack.

And the winner is …

By all available measures, Fox is the best right-handed shot the Rangers have ever had on the blue line. Even better for Rangers fans, it looks like there’s a lot more to come. By the time he hangs up his skates, he may well have lapped the field.

From the 1970s to the present day, the New York Rangers have cashed more than a few winners. Some have been of the big-ticket variety, the kind of player everyone knows about. Others have been solid players who stepped up their games when they arrived at Madison Square Garden, while still others came from out of nowhere and turned into valuable contributors. Here’s a look at the 10 best free-agent signings in Rangers history:

Related: New York Rangers’ worst free-agent signings in history: Wade Redden leads the pack

10. A Flower Blooms on Broadway

The Signing: Rangers signed forward Guy Lafleur to a one-year contract
Date: Sept. 28, 1988

Why it mattered: Lafleur, one of the greatest players in NHL history, had retired in 1984 after 14 brilliant seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and was preparing for his induction into the Hall of Fame in September 1988 when he shocked the hockey world by deciding to attempt a comeback. Rangers GM Phil Esposito, a longtime Lafleur rival, hedged things a bit by calling it a “tryout,” but “Flower’s” performance at training camp showed that he still had something in the tank.

Lafleur wasn’t the star he’d been in Montreal, but he had flashes of his glory days during his one season in the Big Apple, including a four-assist performance against the Edmonton Oilers and the final hat trick of his NHL career against the Los Angeles Kings. But the biggest one came on Feb. 4, 1989, when he lit up the Forum in his first game back in Montreal. The crowd roared for No. 10 in blue as he scored twice and assisted on a third goal. 

Related: New York Rangers worst trades in past 50 years, including Luc Robitaille twice

A goal in the season finale against the New York Islanders gave Lafleur 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) in 67 games – excellent numbers for a 37-year-old who hadn’t played in the NHL for nearly four years.

Lafleur did the Rangers one more favor after becoming a free agent in the summer of 1989; he signed with his hometown Quebec Nordiques. Under the rules of that era, the Rangers received a fifth-round compensation pick in the 1990 NHL Draft — one that Espo’s successor, Neil Smith, turned into defenseman Sergei Zubov, a future Hall of Famer himself and the leading scorer on the Rangers’ 1994 Cup-winning team.

Related: New York Rangers best trades in past 50 years, including Mark Messier

9. A Terrific Two Years

The Signing: Rangers signed Michael Nylander to a three-year contract
Date: Aug. 10, 2004

Why it mattered: The only problem with Nylander’s time in New York was that it was too short.

The Rangers signed the Swedish center just before training camp in 2004, only to see the first season of his contract negated by the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season.

When play resumed in 2005-06, the 33-year-old found himself centering a line with Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka. It was a match made in hockey heaven; Jagr set Rangers records that still stand with 54 goals and 123 points; he got plenty of help from Nylander, who had career highs in assists (56), points (79) and plus-minus (plus-31). The Rangers qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 1996-97 and reached the 100-point mark for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 1994.

Nylander was even better in 2006-07, putting up career highs across the board with 26 goals, 57 assists and 83 points. The Rangers again qualified for the playoffs, this time winning a round for the first time in a decade.

However, the season lost to the lockout meant that Nylander became a free agent in the summer of 2007, when he was coming off back-to-back career seasons. Though he was set to turn 35 just before opening night, the Washington Capitals swooped in and signed him to a four-year contract; he played just two seasons before retiring.

It wasn’t a coincidence that Jagr’s production fell off as soon as Nylander left, and he left for the KHL a year later. 

These days, Nylander is best known for his hockey-playing sons — particularly Mitch, a high-scoring forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Related: Where do New York Rangers rank regarding team statistics in salary cap era?

8. Dandy Dan

The Signing: Rangers signed defenseman Dan Girardi to a two-year contract
Date: July 1, 2006

Why it mattered: Girardi made a career out of putting his body in harm’s way.

The Rangers signed the undrafted free agent defenseman in the summer of 2006 and started him in the ECHL, but his gritty style (and some injuries on the blue line) got him to the NHL by midseason. He turned into a key member of the Rangers team that had the franchise’s longest run of success since the 1994 championship — they missed the playoffs once in his 11 seasons and got to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.

Girardi did contribute offensively, but it was his willingness to hit and block shots that made him a Garden favorite. He was credited with at least 125 blocks in each of his final eight seasons with the Rangers and had more than 175 hits seven times in his 11 seasons with New York. Girardi averaged 22:15 of ice time in his 11 seasons with the Rangers, was an alternate captain and even earned a trip to the NHL All-Star Game in 2012.

But all those hits and blocks eventually took a toll. Girardi began to slow down in the later 2010s, and the Rangers bought out the final three seasons of his six-year contract in the summer of 2017. Tampa Bay signed him and he played two more seasons with the Lightning before retiring.

Girardi was the NHL’s all-time leader in blocked shots (1,954) when he hung up his skates; 1,691 of those came with the Rangers. Few players in team history have been more willing to sacrifice their body for the team.

Related: 10 most underrated New York Rangers since 2000

7. Trocheck Finds Next Level with New York Rangers

The Signing: Rangers signed center Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year contract
Date: July 13, 2022

Why it mattered: Trocheck is a good player who’s taken his game to another level since joining the Rangers.

The Pittsburgh native had been a solid middle-six center with the Florida Panthers and Carolina before Rangers GM Chris Drury brought him to New York two years ago. He said he made the decision to join the Rangers because he didn’t want to come to a team that didn’t have a chance to win every year.

Trocheck is a big reason the Rangers got to the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three seasons last spring. Not only did he finish with a career-high 77 points and earn a spot in the NHL All-Star Game, he also led the Rangers in the postseason with 20 points in 16 games, scored his first career playoff overtime goal (a double-OT winner against Carolina) and set up two other OT tallies.

At 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds, Trocheck is small by NHL standards. But he more than makes up for any lack of size with his work ethic and intensity. Coach Peter Laviolette was so impressed with Trocheck’s effort last season that he played him an average of 21:27, fifth in the NHL among forwards. One reason he got so much ice time was his success in the faceoff circle; Trocheck was fifth among all players with a 58.7 winning percentage during the regular season, then won 57.8 percent of his draws in the playoffs.

But not only does Trocheck center the Rangers’ top offensive line, playing between Artemi Panarin and Alex Lafreniere, he’s also an excellent defensive center — arguably the defensive conscience of an offense-first trio. If his first two seasons are any indication, Trocheck’s average salary of $5.625 million is an incredible bargain. 

Related: The Case For Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck being named to NHL Network’s top-20 centers List

6. From Norway to New York

The Signing: Rangers sign forward Mats Zuccarello to a two-year contract
Date: May 26, 2010

Why it mattered: “The Norwegian Hobbit” lost a name when he signed with the Rangers. He had been Mats Zuccarello Aasen while playing in Sweden and for his home country in the 2010 Winter Olympics, but the “Aasen” didn’t make the trip when he came to New York.

Zuccarello bounced between the Rangers and the AHL for his first three seasons before becoming a regular in 2013-14, breaking out with 19 goals and 59 points and contributing five goals and 13 points in the playoffs as the Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since winning it all in 1994. 

The 5-foot-8 forward soon became a crowd favorite, winning the Steven McDonald Extra Effort award twice. He was named an alternate captain in 2017, scored his 100th NHL goal on March 12, 2018, and became the ninth player in Rangers history to lead the team in scoring for three consecutive seasons.

But when the Rangers struggled in 2018-19, management decided to rebuild — and the 31-year-old Zuccarello was among those who were shipped out. He was dealt to the Dallas Stars on Feb. 23, 2019, though he played just two games before an upper-body injury ended his season. He’s played the past five seasons with the Minnesota Wild. But his 113 goals and 352 points in 509 games are a terrific contribution from a player no one knew much about before his arrival.

Related: Top 10 all-time best United States-born players in New York Rangers history

5. Sweet Swedes

The Signing: Rangers signed center Ulf Nilsson and forward Anders Hedberg to two-year contracts
Date: March 20, 1978

Why it mattered: Free agency within the NHL was still years away in 1978. But poaching talent from the rival World Hockey Association was perfectly OK, and that’s what GM John Ferguson did in March 1978 when he announced that two of the WHA’s biggest stars, Swedish linemates Nilsson and Hedberg, would be heading to the Big Apple for the 1978-79 season.

The two, along with left wing Bobby Hull, had terrorized WHA goalies for years with the Winnipeg Jets, so the news left Rangers fans salivating. Hedberg scored at least 50 goals and finished with 100 points in each of his four WHA seasons. Nilsson averaged 121 points in his four WHA seasons and never had fewer than 76 assists.

Neither came close to those totals in the NHL, but both were fine players who keyed the Rangers’ run to the 1979 Stanley Cup Final.

Hedberg had three straight 30-goal seasons and led the Rangers in scoring in 1978-79. A knee injury limited him to four games in 1981-82, but he had at least 20 goals in each of his six seasons before retiring in 1985.

Nilsson was averaging well over a point a game in his first season before he sustained a broken ankle caused when he caught a rut in the ice at the Garden as he was hit by Islanders defenseman Denis Potvin (he absolved the future Hall of Famer of any blame for the injury, but the “Potvin Sucks” chant lives on 45 years later). Nilsson also missed the entire 1981-82 season because of a knee injury sustained playing for Sweden in the 1981 Canada Cup. He played just 10 games in 1982-83 before retiring with 169 points in 170 NHL games — and one of the biggest “what if” clouds in Rangers history.

Related: 5 alternate jerseys the New York Rangers should bring back

4. Grabbing Gabby

The Signing: Rangers signed forward Marian Gaborik to a five-year contract
Date: July 1, 2009

Why it mattered: Gaborik figured in one of the most embarrassing games in Rangers’ history — he became the first player in 11 years to score five goals in a game when he did it for the Minnesota Wild against Henrik Lundqvist on Dec. 20, 2007. That big night was part of a 42-goal season, one that convinced the Rangers to sign him when free agency opened in July 2009, even though he’d missed all but 17 games in 2008-09 while recovering from hip surgery.

Gaborik did just what the Rangers brought him to New York to do — score. He was fifth in the NHL in 2009-10 with 42 goals, then scored 41 in 2011-12 to help them finish first in the Eastern Conference. He was voted a First-Team All-Star and scored what is still the latest overtime goal in Rangers history, connecting at 14:41 of the third overtime in Game 5 of the conference semifinals against the Washington Capitals; the 2-1 win keyed their trip to the conference final.

But the Rangers lost that series to the New Jersey Devils, and coach John Tortorella was unhappy with the play of many of his veterans, including Gaborik — although it was revealed after the playoffs that he’d been playing with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. 

Gaborik had successful surgery and was ready to go when the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season began in January. But Tortorella hadn’t forgotten his unhappiness from the previous spring. Gaborik’s ice time diminished, as did his scoring numbers, and he sometimes found himself on the fourth line.

The Rangers sent Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2013 trade deadline, but he exacted his revenge on the Rangers a year later after being traded to the Los Angeles Kings. Gaborik’s 14 goals led the Kings as they won the Stanley Cup for the second time in three seasons; the last two were game-tying third-period tallies in their five-game victory over the Rangers in the Final.

Despite his disappointing finish with the Rangers, Gaborik finished his time in New York with 115 goals and 229 points in 255 games. Tortorella was fired after the 2012-13 season — and it would have been interesting to see what Gaborik would have done under his replacement, Alain Vigneault.

Related: 6 Unanswered Rangers questions before 2024-25 season, including Matt Rempe’s long-term role

3. A “Great” Day

The Signing: Rangers sign center Wayne Gretzky to a two-year contract
Date: July 21, 1996

Why it mattered: Hockey’s greatest player playing his home games at The World’s Most Famous Arena. Sounds like a match made in heaven.

Of course, it wasn’t the 1980s-model Gretzky that the Rangers were getting when they signed “The Great One” in the summer of 1996. But even a 35-year-old Gretzky was still a force to be reckoned with, especially because he was rejoining his longtime Edmonton Oilers teammate Mark Messier.

The Gretzky-Messier tandem carried the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final in 1996-97, which turned out to be their only season together in New York. No. 99 was No. 1 in the NHL with 72 assists, led the Rangers with 97 points, was voted a Second-Team All-Star and piled up 20 playoff points (including a first-round hat trick against the Florida Panthers) before the Philadelphia Flyers bounced them in five games.

Gretzky led the NHL in assists again in 1997-98 with 67 and repeated as a Second-Team All-Star. But with Messier signing with the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent, they finished 15 points out of a playoff berth. They were out of the playoff race for most of 1998-99, and as the end of the season approached, Gretzky decided he’d had enough. On April 16, two days before the end of the season, he announced he would retire after the Rangers’ final game two days later.

Appropriately, his last NHL point was an assist — one that came on the Rangers’ lone goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who then lined up and shook his hand like it was the end of a playoff series. After the teams left the ice, Gretzky came back out for a solo skate — “I made a lot of curtain calls, but the fans wouldn’t stop cheering,” he said. “I cried; I broke down a couple of times.”

The Great One is still the Greatest One when it comes to goals, assists and points. Those numbers include the 57 goals and 249 points in his 234 games as a Ranger. His big regret was that he didn’t win the championship he’d hoped for in New York.

Related: Rarest Rangers sweaters in franchise history, including Wayne Gretzky

2. “Gravy” Train Rolls In

The Signing: Rangers sign forward Adam Graves to a five-year contract
Date: Sept. 3, 1991

Why it mattered: Chalk up one for Neil Smith.

Before joining the Rangers as GM in 1989, Smith had worked for the Detroit Red Wings. One of the players he scouted was Graves, who was selected by Detroit in the second round of the 1986 NHL Draft. But the Wings traded Graves to Edmonton in November 1989, and he was part of the Oilers’ championship team the following spring.

However, Smith never forgot Graves, and when he became a Group I free agent after the 1990-91 season, the Rangers signed him to a five-year contract, giving up forward Troy Mallette as compensation. Graves was given No. 11, but quickly shifted to No. 9 after the Rangers acquired former Edmonton teammate Messier a month later.

Coach Roger Neilson put Graves on Messier’s left wing, and he began filling the net. After seasons of 26 and 36 goals, “Gravy” broke the Rangers’ single-season goal-scoring record with 52, then piled up 10 more in the playoffs; the last one came in Game 7 of the Final and helped the Rangers end their 54-year championship drought.

Graves’ style of play was simple but effective — get to the front of the net and make life miserable for opposing goalies. Most of the 280 goals he scored in 10 seasons with the Rangers didn’t travel very far. But off the ice, he might have been even more valuable for what he did for the team and the community. Though on the ice, he was tough as nails, scoring goals and protecting teammates so well that the Rangers retired his No. 9 on Feb. 3, 2021. Wway from the rink, he was humble, caring and kind — and still is.

1. The Breadman Cometh

The Signing: Rangers sign forward Artemi Panarin to a seven-year contract
Date: July 1, 2019

Why it mattered: Panarin was an instant hit in the NHL after arriving with the Chicago Blackhawks from Russia as an undrafted free agent, winning the Calder Trophy in 2015-16 and being named a Second-Team All-Star the following season. Despite that, the Hawks traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2017, only to see him continue to pile up points during the following two seasons.

Panarin had plenty of suitors when he became an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, but reportedly turned down more money from at least one other team to sign a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the rebuilding Rangers.

Talk about money well spent!

Panarin’s arrival jump-started the rebuild the Rangers had announced before the 2018 trade deadline, and he’s been a major factor in their two trips to the Eastern Conference Final during the past three seasons. “The Breadman” delivered career highs of 49 goals and 120 points last season, helping the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy as regular-season champs; the 120 points are the second-highest single-season total in Rangers history, trailing only Jagr’s 123 in 2005-06. 

He is the only player in team history to break the 90-point mark four times (the only time he missed was the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season), and he’s one of just five Rangers to score as many as 49 goals in a season. His 1.32 points per game is the most in the Rangers’ 98-year history, and he reached 400 points faster than anyone in team history. Few free-agent signings in NHL history have paid off like this one.

Related: Rangers’ Artemi Panarin named one of best wings in hockey by NHL Network analyst

What better time to have some fun?

Though this year’s free agency was a bit of a dud for the Rangers, history shows us that hasn’t always been the case. In fact, the Rangers have historically made some big splashes when it comes to signing free agents, so we’re going to make the best roster we can solely with that pool of players.

We tried to put a focus on what the player did during his time in New York, so some big-time names like Guy Lafleur and Markus Naslund, for example, didn’t quite make the list because their best days were with other teams.

When going through this list, it was surprising how few impact defensemen the Rangers have signed over their near 100-year existence, leaving some tough choices of who even deserved to make this list.

Lastly, this roster consists mostly of players from the 1990s on, though that was more due to player movement being limited before the era of free agency expanded about 30 years ago.

WATCH: Exclusive 1-on-1 interview with former Rangers goalie John Vanbiesbrouck

Best all-time Rangers lineup consisting of free-agent additions

Forwards

Line 1: Artemi Panarin (2019) – Wayne Gretkzy (1996) – Marian Gaborik (2009)

What a first line that would be. 

Panarin is arguably (if there’s an argument at all) the best free-agent signing in Blueshirts history. He has 461 points in 350 games with the Rangers, including 120 in 2023-24, second most in a single Rangers season.

Gaborik likely had the title as best free-agent signing before Panarin’s arrival. His departure ahead of the 2013 trade deadline — and subsequent Stanley Cup win with the Los Angeles Kings at the expense of the Rangers in 2014 — soured the feeling towards No. 10, but the talented forward still posted two 40-goal seasons during the three full seasons he played in New York.

Gretzky’s best days were clearly behind him when he arrived in 1996, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he wasn’t a top-tier player. He had back-to-back 90-point seasons his first two years on Broadway, and had a great playoff run with the Rangers in 1997. All told, he had 249 points in 234 games with the Blueshirts to close out his NHL career.

Line 2: Adam Graves (1991) – Mark Messier (2000) – Brendan Shanahan (2006)

Talk about a tough trio that combined equal parts skill and physicality.

Graves arrived in New York as a free agent in 1991, back when compensation was required when a player was signed, at the expense of Troy Mallette! The wildly popular forward posted four 30-goal seasons, including a then record-setting 52 during the Stanley Cup season of 1993-94. He’s an all-time great Ranger whose No. 9 hangs at Madison Square Garden.

We’re cheating a little bit here getting Messier on the list due to his return to New York after a three-year stint with the Vancouver Canucks. Clearly this version wasn’t as successful as the first, when he was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in a 1991 trade and led the Rangers to the Cup in 1994, but Messier was still a mostly-decent middle-six center despite being in his 40s. He had a 24-goal season in 2000-01 and back-to-back 18-goal campaigns before he called it a career in 2004.

Like Messier, Shanahan’s best days were behind him, but he still had a lot left in the tank and changed the complexion of the Rangers upon his arrival in 2006, adding grit and sandpaper to a team that had been swept by the New Jersey Devils in the 2005-06 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Shanahan scored 52 goals in his 140 games with the Rangers, impressive totals for a player in his late 30s. Arguably the lasting image of Shanahan’s time as a Ranger was him fighting feared enforcer Donald Brashear in December 2006.

Line 3: Mats Zuccarello (2010) – Mark Pavelich (1981) – Theo Fleury (1999)

Three small forwards, each under 5-foot-8, make up this line that had plenty of pop.

One of the most popular Rangers of the past 25 years, Zuccarello was a mainstay in New York during the franchise’s most successful period since the Cup year in the mid 90s. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Norway, Zuccarello totaled 352 points in 509 games, and he won the Steven McDonald Award for his “extra effort.”

Pavelich’s numbers are certainly a product of his era, but his numbers don’t lie. He began his NHL career after playing a big role on the United States’ “Miracle On Ice” team in 1980 with back-to-back 30-goal seasons and flirted with point-per-game-numbers during his five seasons in New York, which included a five-goal game in 1983. His 76 points during his rookie year of 1981-82 remains a franchise record to this day.

Fleury’s time in New York coincided with one of the worst stretches in franchise history, not to mention his own personal issues. That clouds the minds of Rangers fans who lump him into signings that didn’t pan out. Though he wasn’t the player he was in Calgary, the 5-foot-6 winger scored more than 63 points in each of his three seasons with the Rangers, including a 30-goal, 74-point campaign in 2000-01, the height of the dead puck era.

Line 4: Martin Straka (2005) – Brad Richards (2011) – Anders Hedberg (1978)  

Straka could be one of the most underrated players during the Rangers’ renaissance in the late 2000s. He had two straight 20-goal seasons, including 29 in 2006-07, and was a mainstay on the “Czech Line” and power play. All told, he had 187 points in 224 games with the Blueshirts. Not bad for a journeyman in his mid 30s.

Richards never lived up to the hype of his massive contract, but he was still a useful player for the Rangers, who immediately turned a corner following his addition in the summer of 2011. Richards scored 25 goals — just three shy of his NHL career-best — his first season in New York, when the Rangers reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1997. After a down year in 2013, Richards turned in another 20-goal season to help the Rangers make it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014. He finished with 151 points in 210 games with the Blueshirts, and added 28 points in 55 postseason contests.

Hedberg arrived in 1978 after a successful career in both Europe and the WHA. All he did was score 30 goals four times during his Broadway tenure and help the Rangers reach the 1979 Stanley Cup Final. The talented Swede, who came to New York as a package deal with center Ulf Nilsson, played his entire NHL career with the Blueshirts, amassing 397 points in 465 games from 1978-79 through 1984-85.

Related: 10 most underrated Rangers all-time

Defensemen

1st D pair: Darius Kasparaitis (2002) – Dan Girardi (2006)

Kasparaitis bridged the gap between The Dark Ages and the Renaissance. The hard-hitting defenseman arrived for the 2002-03 campaign and was an alternate captain during the 2005-06 season, when Kasparitis introduced the Stick Salute after Rangers wins, something the team still does to this day. His time with the Rangers ended during the 2006-07 season, when he was waived and eventually loaned to a team in the KHL, thus ending his NHL career.

While he’s looked at in mostly unfavorable terms from the Twitter crowd, Girardi was a gritty defenseman in the same mold as current Rangers blueliner Ryan Lindgren. He was a key part of Rangers teams that had their longest run of success this side of the 1994 Stanley Cup. Girardi, who was signed as an undrafted free agent, rose from the ECHL all the way to becoming an NHL All Star. In parts of 11 seasons, Girardi averaged more than 22 minutes of ice time per game and missed the playoffs just once during his tenure. Here’s hoping that with time, Girardi gets the credit he so deserves from Rangers fans.

2nd D pair: Bruce Driver (1995) – Anton Stralman (2011)

Former Devils never seem to work out for the Rangers, and it’s more of a testament to the slim pickings than Driver’s success in New York that he’s on this list. After 12 season in New Jersey, Driver signed with the Rangers as a 33-year-old before the 1995-96 season. He spent three seasons in New York and was a mostly-serviceable bottom-four blueliner. His high point was 37 points his first season as a Ranger.

Stralman was the analytics darling of those mid-2010s teams, though largely underrated, too. He played three steady seasons in New York, helping the Rangers advance to two conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final in 2014. 

3rd D pair: Marek Malik (2005) – Michal Roszival (2005)

Malik somewhat defines the Tom Renney post-lockout Rangers, thanks in large part to his legendary shootout goal in the 15th round against the Washington Capitals at the start of the 2005-06 season. But he was a fine bottom-four defenseman who was likely used more out of necessity than anything else. 

Another lynchpin of the Renney era, Roszival was a mainstay on those post-lockout teams that always snuck into the playoffs but were never really a threat. The offensive-defenseman turned in some strong seasons with the Rangers, including a 40-point campaign in 2006-07. His most memorable moment in New York was his overtime-winner in the second round against the Buffalo Sabres in the 2007 playoffs. He finished with 176 points in 436 games with the Rangers.

Goalies

Goalies: Chuck Rayner (1950) and Cam Talbot (2010)

We’re going way back for this one, but it’s hard to keep a goalie who won the Hart Trophy off this list. Rayner never finished with a winning record but did lead the Rangers to the 1950 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in Game 7. Had they won that game, 1940 would have never been a thing. Rayner was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.

Talbot signed with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and worked his way up from the ECHL. He made his NHL debut in 2013-14 as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup and finished that season with 12-6-1 record, terrific 1.64 goals-against average and sterling .941 save percentage., But it was the following season that earns Talbot a spot on this list. He was 21-9-4 in 2014-15, including a spectacular run when Lundqvist missed a chunk of time due to injury. His performance helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy, and he won the Steven McDonald Award. Talbot finished his two seasons with the Rangers 33-15-5 with a .931 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average.

The New York Rangers salary cap is saddled with $3,427,778 in buyout penalties. Some of those are from buyouts that occurred all the way back in 2017.

That freed up cap space will come at a great time for at least one of the Blueshirts young pending restricted free agents.

Forever Blueshirts will dive deeper into the Rangers salary cap situation this month starting with dead cap money.

New York Rangers Salary Cap: Buyout Penalties

Here’s a breakdown of buyouts the Rangers are still paying for:

• Kevin Shattenkirk ($1,433,333)
• Dan Girardi ($1,111,111)
• Tony DeAngelo ($883,334)

Note: All cap data via CapFriendly

Dan Girardi buyout

On June 14, 2017 the New York Rangers bought out the contract of Dan Girardi. At the time, the 10 year Blueshirts veteran had three years remaining on a contract that came with an AAV of $5.5 million.

The rugged shot-blocking defenseman was a warrior for the team during their Black and Blueshirts days. He was part of one of the top shutdown pairings in the NHL with Ryan McDonagh and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.

Unfortunately, his body could not hold up to the wear and tear. Girardi’s game started to decline at the end of the 2015 campaign.

Kevin Shattenkirk buyout

The Rangers bought out the contract of Kevin Shattenkirk on August 1, 2019. This was a shocking turn of events, considering he was a prized free agent in 2017 and signed with the team for less money than others offered.

New York bought out the final two years of his four-year deal that came with a $6.65 million cap hit. They obviously needed the space after signing Artemi Panarin that summer to a monster 7-year contract with an $11.6 million AAV.

Sadly for Shattenkirk, he was playing on a bad knee for the most part with the Rangers. The offensive defenseman simply struggled in his own end trying to play top four minutes.

Tony DeAngelo buyout

On July 24, 2021 the Rangers and Tony DeAngelo ended a tumultuous relationship.

After signing a two-year, $9.6 million contract extension in October 2020, he could not stay out of trouble with his coach and teammates. After an early season scratch, things came to a head when he was involved in a reported altercation with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev.

Previous GM Jeff Gorton warned DeAngelo prior to the incident that any issue would lead to that being an end to his Rangers career. After just six games, he would not play for the Blueshirts again.

The buyout was for one-third of the remaining contract because DeAngelo was younger than 26. The Rangers cap hit last season was for $383,334 and ends with $883,334 this year.

New York Rangers salary cap 2023

The New York Rangers will have the following players become restricted free agents in 2023:

• Alexis Lafrenière
• Filip Chytil (arbitration rights)
• Julien Gauthier (arbitration rights)
• K’Andre Miller
• Libor Hajek (arbitration rights)
• Vitali Kravtsov
• Zac Jones

It should also be noted that Ryan Reaves and his $1.75 million cap hit will be off the books. In addition, Jaroslav Halak’s $1.5 million is gone too, but the Rangers will need that money for another backup.

Looking at the $3.4 million in dead cap space coupled with Reaves’ $1.75 million gives you a little over $5 million.

The New York Rangers should take between $4M to $5M and ink K’Andre Miller to a five-year deal.

As for the rest of the RFAs, only Alexis Lafrenière will be a lock to return with Filip Chytil to a lesser extent.

How will the Rangers sign them? That’s why you hear the term ‘cap squeeze’ used so often when discussing the team’s future.

It’s not an easy problem to solve and likely means certain players like Barclay Goodrow, who has a modified trade clause could be at risk next summer. The Rangers could also ask Jacob Trouba or Chris Kreider to waive their full no-move clauses, but that will be a challenge.

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“There’s no decision yet made on staff,” Gallant said at his press conference. “We’re talking to a lot of people, like you said Mike Kelly has been around a long time with my staff, we’ll see where that goes but there’s nothing done with anybody yet. We’re just talking to guys.”

The expectation is that the Rangers will have assistants in place before the NHL draft.

Dan Girardi potential assistant coach

According to The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello, he believes the Rangers are looking to bring back Dan Girardi as an assistant coach.

The possibility of bringing back one of the Rangers best defensemen as an assistant coach is a brilliant idea. One of the toughest defenders in the NHL with a keen ability to block shots, he would be a great addition to the group.

This past season, the 37 year-old joined the Sabres as an assistant and helped interim head coach Don Granato turn things around. “I’ve kind of been through everything,” Girardi said on WGR550. “The way I played, how I carried myself in the [locker] room, a teammate first, didn’t worry about all my individual stuff, really thought about the team game; all those things, when you’re a good teammate, word gets around and you’re able to talk to guys.”

“Obviously I’m the assistant coach now, an interim assistant coach, but I’m talking to guys now like I’m just out there with them at practice and talking about random things, chirp here and there,” Girardi continued. “But just get a good feeling between all of us and get a better feeling back in the building and in the room, a positive atmosphere. We’re going to have to put the work boots on to get out of this thing with everyone.”

Sabres head coach wants to keep Girardi

Hold off on the reunion.

The Sabres removed the interim tag from Don Granato and during his press conference he mentioned that both last season’s assistants are in the mix to come back. Matt Ellis and Dan Girardi were integral in helping turn Buffalo around, so it makes sense that they would be at the top of his list to return.

Gerard Gallant is highly likely to bring his right hand man Mike Kelly in as one of his assistants. Andre Tourigny who helped win Gold at the World Championship in Latvia was just hired as the Coyotes new bench boss. If Dan Girardi opts to stay in Buffalo, Gallant could reunite his old Vegas crew in New York.

Ryan McGill worked with Gallant and Kelly with the Golden Knights and seems like a logical candidate. He played for the Blackhawks before getting into the coaching ranks in the OHL and WHL. McGill also has ties to the Blueshirts as the Wolf Pack’s head coach from 2003-2005.

Don Granato says the search for assistant coaches will begin soon. He says last year's interim assistants, Matt Ellis and Dan Girardi, will be in the mix

— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) July 1, 2021

NHL Rumors

Get fully up to speed with this massive NHL Rumors update here.

Gerard Gallant receiving praise

Before he was hired, I spoke to Gallant’s agent, Neil Glasberg during the World Championships. He called Gallant a client whom he feels blessed to represent. “He’s got game in him, and he’s a fantastic coach,” he exclaimed. “Gallant would be great in multiple organizations. He’s the best of the unemployed experienced coaches out there.” As is often the case, the Rangers got their man.

By all accounts, the Rangers had Gallant targeted at the top of their list and was the first candidate interviewed. “His vast experience and success behind the bench at several levels make him the ideal choice to lead our team on the ice,” President and General Manager Chris Drury said after the hiring.

A former Ranger who played for Gallant when he was with the Florida Panthers from 2015-2017 is Jaromir Jagr. He had glowing remarks about his old coach, especially about connecting with star players.

“It’s going to be good for the players, and the star players are going to like it because he knows how to relate to them,” Jagr told Larry Brooks of the NY Post. “And the reason for that is that he was a very good player, he was a star in the NHL, playing with a star like Stevie Yzerman in Detroit. So he knows what the stars need. Nobody can really tell you that. It’s something you have to feel. It’s something you have to know. You need the personal experience. That’s a big advantage.”

Jagr also made it clear that Gallant is no pushover and will bench a star player too. The difference he says it that Gallant doesn’t hold a grudge and it rarely carries over into the next the game.

The expectation is that Gallant will work with Chris Drury to reshape the bottom six of the lineup. It will be a top priority in order for the new coach to be successful. All his teams in the past were a mix of skill and grit, so expect the same with Rangers. Just like any good craftsman will attest, you need the right tools for the job in order to do it right.

Rounding out the Rangers coaching staff

When you look at Gallant’s recent coaching experience running Team Canada he worked with Mike Kelly and Andre Tourigny. Of the two, Kelly is the most likely since he and Gallant have worked together numerous times.

Kelly was Gallant’s assistant in Florida and Vegas at the NHL. However, the two also worked in QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs. Kelly was an assistant to Gallant from 2010 to 2012 while there. Kelly has also worked as GM and head coach in various other stops, including winning Gold with Team Canada in 2003 at IIHF World U18.

Another name to keep an eye on is Ryan McGill whom Gallant worked with in Vegas as well. He played for the Blackhawks before getting into the coaching ranks in the OHL and WHL. McGill also has ties to the Blueshirts as the Wolf Pack’s head coach from 2003-2005.

Finally, according to a report in The Athletic, Dan Girardi is being considered to be part of the new coaching staff. This past season, the 37 year-old joined the Sabres as an assistant and helped interim head coach Don Granato turn things around. “I’ve kind of been through everything,” Girardi said on WGR550. “The way I played, how I carried myself in the [locker] room, a teammate first, didn’t worry about all my individual stuff, really thought about the team game; all those things, when you’re a good teammate, word gets around and you’re able to talk to guys.”

Prediction: Gallant will hire Mike Kelly and Dan Girardi as his assistant coaches.

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We’ve also heard from sources that Buffalo assistant Dan Girardi, a former Rangers teammate of Drury, could be added as an assistant.

Rick Carpiniello

Dan Girardi a potential Rangers assistant coach

The possibility of bringing back one of the Rangers best defensemen as an assistant coach is a brilliant idea. One of the toughest defenders in the NHL with a keen ability to block shots, he would be a great addition to the group.

This past season, the 37 year-old joined the Sabres as an assistant and helped interim head coach Don Granato turn things around. “I’ve kind of been through everything,” Girardi said on WGR550. “The way I played, how I carried myself in the [locker] room, a teammate first, didn’t worry about all my individual stuff, really thought about the team game; all those things, when you’re a good teammate, word gets around and you’re able to talk to guys.”

“Obviously I’m the assistant coach now, an interim assistant coach, but I’m talking to guys now like I’m just out there with them at practice and talking about random things, chirp here and there,” Girardi continued. “But just get a good feeling between all of us and get a better feeling back in the building and in the room, a positive atmosphere. We’re going to have to put the work boots on to get out of this thing with everyone.”

Rangers hire Gallant

Gallant, 57, reportedly interviewed with the Rangers last month before heading to Latvia to coach Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship. He led Canada to its 21st title, beating Finland 3-2 in the June 6 final.

Gallant owns a career record of 270-216-4-51 in 541 games as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets (2003-07), Florida Panthers (2014-17) and Vegas Golden Knights (2017-20).

He was fired 49 games into his third season when Vegas was 24-19-6, and he had an overall record of 118-75-20 with the Golden Knights.

Last month, the Rangers fired head coach David Quinn and three assistant coaches as well as team president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton after missing the playoffs for a fourth straight season. Chris Drury was promoted to president and GM.

New York finished in fifth place in the East Division with a 27-23-6 record in 2020-21.

Quinn, 54, compiled a 96-87-25 record during his three seasons as coach of the Rangers.

–Field Level Media contributed to this article

Rangers First Overall Pick turns 19

Alexis Lafreniere turned 19 today! The Rangers made sure to send out their future star Birthday wishes.

In case you missed it, Steve Serby of the NY Post did a Q&A with Alexis Lafreniere and it is a must read.

Q: Tell Rangers fans what kind of player you are — a personal scouting report.
A: I am a competitive power forward who likes to be creative and use my teammates as much as possible on the ice. I bring intensity and passion every single shift and I like to use my body as much as my hands to create opportunities on the ice.

Alexis Lafreniere/NYPost

Dan Girardi future head coach?

Former NY Rangers defenseman, Dan Girardi is coaching in Canada and has some future aspirations it seems.

Rumor: NHL in July

Prior to yesterday’s reveal of the 3 phase approach to reopen America there were rumors the NHL was targeting a July return. The exact timeframes remain fuzzy because a lot will be left to the discretion of State Governors. Still it is very possible to identify several arenas to conclude the regular season because the logical path is to resume without fans.

Girardi Answers Fan Questions

Dan Girardi returned to the Rangers, at least via twitter to answer some fan questions. The warrior rearguard told fans his favorite season was the Cup run in 2014 and that Marc Staal is very underrated for all he does. Here’s some more of the best ones.

Lemieux playing video games for charity

Brendan Lemieux is playing video games for charity and advanced last night as well.

You could call it kismet or just pure luck but as it stands, the Rangers’ best defensive pairing at the moment are two rookies. Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren are showing what they are made of and are proving to the fans that the direction this team is going in is the right one. That last statement may come off as a bit presumptuous, but it’s hard to ignore the impact both players are having on this current team.

What Does The Fox Say?

Months of speculation became reality as Adam Fox declined to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes. Soon after, on April 30, 2019, Fox’s rights were acquired by the Rangers for a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Many saw this as an overpay at the time for a guy who hadn’t yet proven himself at the NHL level, but sometimes an “overpay” is necessary. The Rangers certainly were willing to take that gamble. 

Only coming in at 5’11”, Fox is on the smaller side but has been the Rangers best defenseman this season. Going into the January 9th matchup with New Jersey, Fox has 23 points (5G, 18A) in 42 games along with a plus/minus rating of +3. In addition, he ranks high on the possession metrics as well.

Averaging over half a point per game and getting top-four minutes on a nightly basis, Fox has exceeded Year 1 expectations. He has shown a level of poise with the puck that was always evident in lower levels, and his average north-south speed has not been an issue thanks to good edges and anticipation. He has helped the Rangers in the puck-possession game with a 6.2 relative Corsi for, which is tops among rookies. Fox moves the puck remarkably well, racking up assists and aiding in the transition game. His move from college to the NHL has gone better than I anticipated, especially in a difficult situation with the rebuilding Rangers.

Chris Peters/ESPN.com

The buyout of Kevin Shattenkirk last summer had many worried that the Rangers defense would miss some of his offensive abilities. But, with the emergence of Fox, those worries have all been forgotten. Fox has taken Shattenkirk’s spot and run with it, by becoming better than what most expected. As he did with Harvard, Fox skates with poise and isn’t afraid to move the puck up the ice and become part of the offense or make a tough pass when needed. Fox displays incredible vision when he is on the ice, whether it’s making a quick pass out of the defensive zone, or contributing on the power play. Additionally, his defensive positioning is superb, always being where he needs to be when in his own zone. There’s rarely ever a time you see Fox make a glaring mistake on the back end. His maturity and poise have been a breath of fresh air for the boys in blue.

It’s also worth noting that the Rangers haven’t had much mobility on the back end for some time before Fox. Even though the team has boasted guys like Ryan McDonagh, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brady Skjei, Tony DeAngelo, Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto amongst others, none have shown the mobility and prowess that Adam Fox currently brings to the organization. Fox’s skill set with and without the puck is similar to what Brian Leetch brought to New York. Now, while Fox won’t be the second coming of Leetch, it’s definitely not far fetched to compare Fox’s skill set to the longtime Blueshirt and Hockey Hall of Famer. The Rangers must’ve known this and were willing to take a gamble on him. So far, that gamble has paid off tenfold.

There’s an argument to be made that Fox has been the Rangers’ best defenseman through the first 30 games of the season. Quinn has remarked on several occasions that “he’s made the transition to the National Hockey League look a little bit easier than it should be.”

The former NCAA star for Harvard entered game No. 31 Thursday against the San Jose Sharks ranked third in the league among rookie defensemen with 16 points (five goals and 11 assists).

…Playing a good all-around game meant disproving the notion that he would struggle handling his defensive responsibilities while going straight from college to the pros.

If there’s anything Fox has shown in his early days with the Rangers, it’s the ability to figure things out quickly.

Two second-round picks certainly feels like a price worth paying.

“One of the things that I’ve been impressed with Adam from the start was his commitment to playing defense and managing his offensive ability — knowing when to get involved offensively,” Quinn said. “I think he’s lost that a little bit lately, and he’s certainly trying to get back on track from that end of it. But you’re talking about a guy who’s had a really good start to his career.”

Vincent Z. Mercogliano/lohud.com

“He brings snarl”

During the January 8th episode of the Forever Blueshirts Radio podcast, Forever Blueshirts founder Anthony Scultore mentioned that only two players on the current Rangers roster had snarl to them. One was Jacob Trouba and the other was Ryan Lindgren.

Along with a lack of mobility, one of the things the Rangers back end lacked was toughness. Initially, Dylan McIlrath was supposed to bring that kind of edge, but that experiment faded into the night without a whimper. Enter Ryan Lindgren.

Lindgren was acquired by the Rangers in 2018 as part of a trade that sent Rick Nash to the Bruins. New York took advantage of the overabundance of defensemen that Boston boasted and landed a guy who not only brings snarl but has a strong defensive game and brings character to the back end. So far this season, Lindgren has put up admirable numbers in the NHL. Going into the January 9th matchup against the Devils, he’s notched eight points and most importantly, a plus/minus rating of +4. Not to mention, he’s used his body aplenty, including his latest hit on Joonas Donskoi of Colorado.

His compete level adds to his snarl and overall tenacity on the back end of the ice. Although he won’t light up the scoreboard, Lindgren is seen as a reliable stay at home defensemen with some mobility in his legs and an edge to his game. Here are some things mentioned about Ryan Lindgren’s playstyle:

Brady Skjei described fellow University of Minnesota defenseman Ryan Lindgren as a “character player” and someone that can shut down the other team’s top line. (NHL.com)

Lindgren is considered to be more of a “throwback” type of shutdown defenseman and Chris Drury said that he was someone the Rangers wanted from Boston because of his character, leadership and compete levels (Rick Carpinello/The Athletic)

Lindgren skates well, move the puck “competently” and is a “great defender who battles at a high-end level. (Corey Pronmann/The Athletic)

Bob Motzko, who coached St. Cloud St as well as Lindgren in the World Juniors, said that Lindgren is just such a battler, he’ll just dust it off and go play.” (Eric Vegoe/The Athletic)

Mike Guentzel, who was a coach at Minnesota, said that Lindgren is “heart, character” and a kind of toughness that doens’t always come with players from the Minnesota area. Eric Vegoe/The Athletic

A character player with high compete levels and a strong defender are exactly the things the Rangers hoped for Lindgren, and so far the youngster has lived up to those expectations in his time in New York. His toughness and compete level can be compared to a Dan Girardi type and his defensive play and skating ability, along with his leadership qualities can be compared to traits similar to that of Ryan McDonagh.

The key to building a strong defense is mixing skill, size, and speed. Ryan Lindgren brings the size and speed to that equation, along with being a skilled puck handler in his own right. New York saw these traits and see him as a valuable asset to the rebuild going forward.

In addition to their complementary skill sets, both Lindgren and Fox were part of the US National Team Development program. This prior experience together is also a strong factor for both players doing well for New York this season.

And they have also experienced a few developmental stages together, making their reunion in New York that much more notable.

“I’ve known Foxy a long time,” Lindgren said after practice Monday. “We played together at the U.S. National Development Program in Ann Arbor. We were there for two years together, and we played at World Juniors twice together. [I’m] very familiar with his game — he’s a very easy guy to play with. We’re good friends off the ice. I think that helps too.”

Lindgren and Fox were teenagers when they began playing together in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, which prepares players under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. national teams.

They also won gold (2017) and bronze (2018) medals together while competing for Team USA in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Mollie Walker/New York Post

These are exciting times for Rangers fans, as we are beginning to see the fruits of the rebuild begin to sprout. Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren are just two examples of many that are the result of the organizational change that has been set forward. Fox with his sleek skating, strong defensive mind and offensive prowess added with Lindgren’s toughness, snarl and tenacity have given the Rangers a potential defensive pairing for the ages. Both players are thriving and proving not only to be the Rangers’ best current defensive pairing but also proving that this rebuild is going a lot better than most anticipated. Once both players begin to elevate their play styles to another level, they seem poised to lead the back end, as did McDonagh and Girardi all those years ago.