Depth of Blueline Creates Tough Decisions for NY Rangers

With a plethora of depth on the blueline, the New York Rangers will have some tough decisions to make before the season.

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) skates against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers are getting set for the start of the season, which is quickly approaching, and training camp will be an important time for the team to gel with a lot of new faces. 

Coming off a bad campaign, the Rangers were an extremely aggressive team this offseason. Chris Drury had previously stated that New York was going to be retooling and not rebuilding, and that ended up being the case. 

The Rangers came into the summer with a lot of holes to fill and, for the most part, have seemingly done a nice job of it. While they likely could have used one more forward for the top nine, the team did a solid job overall. 

Furthermore, another area that they were focused on improving was their blueline. This was a group that lacked proper depth after the first pair, and they addressed that in a significant way. 

The additions of both Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson have greatly improved the second pair, and there will be a trickle-down effect for the rest of the group. That will be a great thing for the team, but will create some tough decisions for Mike Sullivan and the coaching staff to make. 

Blueline Depth Creates Tough Decisions

Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Alberts Smits reacts beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being selected with the fifth pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the top five, including Braden Schneider, should be set for New York on the blue line, the sixth spot will be a very interesting one. The Rangers used the fifth overall pick on Alberts Smits, and he was seen as one of the most NHL-ready prospects in the draft. 

Furthermore, the team also has Matthew Robertson on the left side who could be the guy to start the year if Smits needs some time in the AHL. Also, Urho Vaakanainen could be an option on the left side. 

Due to some of Schneider's struggles, other options could be on the table if he can’t produce on the third pair. While being there should set him up for success, he was a player who really struggled for the team last year. 

If that side becomes open, players like Scott Morrow and Vincent Iorio could come into the picture as well. 

Overall, the team really focused on improving their blueline this summer, and the group should be much better. Furthermore, with a focus on drafting a lot of defensemen as well, the Rangers will be hoping this can be a strength of the franchise for years to come.