New NY Rangers Defenseman Poised For Bounce Back Season

The New York Rangers will be hoping to see a new player have a bounce back season.

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan speaks to reporters after an 8-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the offseason rolling right along for the New York Rangers, the team will have a lot of new faces coming in for next season. Chris Drury promised that he was going to be retooling this summer, and that has certainly been the case. 

Coming off one of the most disappointing campaigns in a long time, the Rangers should feel good about the moves they made this winter. This is a team that got a lot better on paper, and there is reason to believe that they can be a playoff contender once again. 

That would certainly be a quick and impressive turnaround considering where they were last year. Now, with all of the new players joining, they will be starting to get acclimated to their new team and city. 

One of the players who was brought in this summer was left-handed defenseman Marcus Pettersson. With a need for a good puck-moving player on the blueline, he certainly fills that need for the team.  

Pettersson recently spoke with Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required) about coming to New York and reuniting with his former coach Mike Sullivan. Due to his success with Sullivan in Pittsburgh, he will be hoping to get back to that level of play following a bad season. 

“System-wise, I feel like it tends to play into my playing style. I want to play a fast-paced style, like he wants to play, and pressure on (the) puck. I feel like his system is so good, where you don’t have to overthink things out there.” 

Pettersson Looking to Bounce Back

Apr 11, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Marcus Pettersson (29) during the second period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On the worst team in hockey last year, it was no surprise to see that Pettersson struggled. Last season, he totaled 18 points with three goals and 15 assists in a full 82-game season. 

The -19 +/- was the worst of his career, and leaving the Vancouver Canucks will be a good thing for him. With some of the best years of his career being with Sullivan, getting back to the style of hockey that he wants to play is seemingly going to put Pettersson in positions to succeed. 

Pettersson set a career-high in points with 30 during the 2023-24 campaign under Sullivan, and the Rangers would love to see that type of production from him on the left side of the second-pair. 

However, while there is reason to believe that he is going to have a bounce-back campaign, the asking price of a first-round pick in 2030 was a steep price. New York will be hoping to be a true contender by then and that it will be a later selection, but there is some risk. 

Overall, if he can find his form under Sullivan this coming year, he will be a welcome addition to the team.