NY Rangers Reaping the Benefits of a Healthy Adam Fox

The New York Rangers started the 2026-27 NHL regular season red hot with a 6-2-0 record, but have cooled off recently, going 1-4-1 over their last five games.

There are a lot of contributing factors to the team’s differing level of performance. The goalie situation is brutal, with Joonas Korpisalo going down first, followed by Igor Shesterkin. While Korpisalo is expected back with the team in the near future, Shesterkin suffered what is believed to be a season-ending lower-body injury.

With the defensive performance crumbling in front of the goalies, it has been messy the last few weeks. However, there is one defenseman who has performed at a high level steadily through the first 14 games: Adam Fox.

On the receiving end of what felt like an unnecessary amount of criticism over the summer, Fox has quieted all his doubters with some incredible play on the ice. He has been the team’s most consistently productive player thus far and has the stats to back that up.

Adam Fox has been playing great hockey

New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) controls the puck. — Oct 24, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) controls the puck in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Through 14 games, he has already recorded 17 points, handing out 16 assists. The 17 points are second most amongst defensemen in the NHL and his 16 assists are in first.

He continues to drive offense as well as any defenseman in the League. As shared by MoneyPuck, the Rangers have an expected goals-for rate of 60.2% with Fox on the ice and only a 45.8% goals-for rate when he is on the bench.

“Does it surprise me what he’s doing for our team right now?” Head coach Sullivan asked, via Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required). “No, he’s very capable of that.”

New York had hoped the disparity in production with Fox on and off the ice would be less this season after revamping the depth at the blue line. The only returning player is Braden Schneider, who is now the right-handed defenseman on the No. 3 pairing.

With 17 points in 14 games, Adam Fox is on pace for a 102-point season. So excellent stuff so far from the 28-year-old #NYR
— Nick Ziegler (@NickZiegler20) October 28, 2026

Alas, the results are still underwhelming. Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi, the new No. 2 pairing, have poor metrics, but with the context of drawing the toughest assignments consistently. Much of their action comes on defensive zone draws, which creates more opportunities for opponents.

The performance of Schneider and rookie Alberts Smits, the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is concerning as well.

The Rangers can at least take solace in the fact that Fox is in the lineup, tilting things in their favor whenever he takes the ice. Being fully healthy for the first time in a few years is reminding everyone just how productive he can be as the quarterback of the team.

In the prime of his career at 28 years old, the talented defenseman is playing like a Norris Trophy contender in the early going. His high IQ decision-making is something the entire team is benefiting from; now they need to get the other defensive pairings on track as well, behind him and Vladislav Gavrikov.

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