NY Rangers' New-Look Second Pair Could Be Massive Difference from Last Season

The New York Rangers are getting set for the start of the regular season on Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins. In what should be a fun opener between two Original Six teams, the Rangers will be looking to get off to a strong start.

Coming off a busy summer, New York is going to have a lot of new faces on the team, and the hope is that they will be much-improved compared to last year. While it might take some time to get there, there is reason to believe that the Rangers can contend for a playoff spot.

This was a team that was extremely aggressive in trying to make upgrades, and the roster from top to bottom looks a lot better than last season. Even though New York might not be perfect, they are definitely improved.

Now, the team will be hoping that it will be enough to get them back into the hunt. That is going to start on Tuesday night, and one of the areas that will be worth keeping an eye on is the second pair on the blueline. This was an area of focus this offseason to improve, and the team has seemingly been able to do that.

Second-Pair Could be Major Bright Spot

Sep 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Marcus Pettersson (26) prepares for a faceoff in the first period against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Shortly after the end of the season, the Rangers made it clear that they wanted to improve their skill on the blueline. They were certainly able to accomplish that with the additions of Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi.

These two are slated to be together, but they were acquired in trades in a bit of a different way. For Pettersson, he was acquired for a future first-round draft pick in a move that was clearly made to improve now.

Furthermore, in order to acquire Durzi, the team moved Vincent Trocheck, who was one of the more desirable trade assets in the NHL this summer. Moving the veteran brought back not only Durzi, but also center prospect Cole Beaudoin.

Aside from the first-pair last year, the Rangers struggled defensively. Improving the second-pair was a major need for the team, and getting Pettersson and Durzi will help with that.

What will be interesting to monitor is whether or not Alberts Smits is able to work his way up to this pairing eventually. The fifth overall pick is going to be in the NHL right from the start of the season and has a major upside. There is certainly a scenario in which he plays well and moves himself up to the second pair.

Overall, what was a weakness for the team last year should be seen as a strength now, and the moves made this offseason have worked out.

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