NY Rangers' Defensive Logjam Could Create a Potential Trade Candidate

Will the New York Rangers end up trading a defenseman before the season?

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

The New York Rangers are getting set for their first preseason game of the season, coming up on Monday night against the New Jersey Devils. Following a busy summer, expectations are high despite struggles last year. 

As the Rangers get set for their preseason opener, what the roster and lineups will look like to start the season is going to be interesting to monitor. 

New York added a ton of new talent this offseason, and that has created some potential battles for roster spots and lineup positioning. At forward, there figures to be a battle for the winger spot on the right side. Furthermore, another interesting battle to watch is on the blueline for the left side of the third pair. 

The Rangers really focused on improving their blueline over the offseason, and that now, all of a sudden, has created a bit of a logjam. 

Rangers Might Need to Move Defenseman 

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson (29) skates with the puck against the Detroit Red Wings during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With early lines indicating that Alberts Smits could perhaps be making the team for Opening Night, that could result in the Rangers looking to move one of their other defensemen who could have been in the mix for the final spot. 

Based on how things have looked in training camp so far, it appears like Smits is the front-runner to be playing alongside Braden Schneider on the third pair. New York was aggressive this summer in improving their depth on the blueline, and with Smits perhaps being ready to go right away, that could result in them looking to move some of that depth. 

A player like Matthew Robertson was considered to be a potential player for the team alongside Schneider, but based on how Mike Sullivan has implemented his lineups, he would be on the outside looking in. 

As a player who showed some promise last year, perhaps he could be a trade candidate if it ends up being Smits right away. Furthermore, another defenseman on the left side that the team could entertain moving is Urho Vaakanainen. 

With Marcus Pettersson, Adam Fox, and potentially Smits, the left side of the blueline is going to be set for the next few years for the Rangers. Even though Schneider was a name frequently mentioned in trade rumors this summer, the team has elected to hold on to him up until this point. However, if Smits is truly ready from day one, it would behoove them to move some of their other depth on that side.