NY Rangers Rebuffed Trade Requests for Star Defenseman

The New York Rangers had no interest in trading away one of their star defensemen.

Mar 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; A New York Rangers flag is seen in the crown during the first period against the Edmonton Oilers at Madison Square Garden. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers have done a ton of work with their group of defensemen this offseason, upgrading behind their excellent top pairing of Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov.

In the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, they used the No. 5 pick on Albert Smits, considered by many to be the most NHL-ready of the defensemen in this year’s class. He was the first of five left-handed defensemen chosen, and the team won’t have to rush him along thanks to other moves made.

Their new No. 2 pairing is Marcus Pettersson and Chris Durzi, both acquired in trades. The Rangers sent a top-10 protected first-round pick in the 2030 NHL Draft to the Vancouver Canucks for Pettersson, while Durzi was part of the return package from the Utah Mammoth for Vincent Trocheck.

While several trades were completed, it is the rumors and teams that were rebuffed that may get the most attention. During a recent episode of the 32 Final Thoughts: The Podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukaskas, Fox drew trade interest this offseason, but the Rangers quickly rebuffed suitors.

Rangers quickly turned down Adam Fox trade talks

Mar 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) skates against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at Madison Square Garden. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I think teams asked Drury about Adam Fox, and I think he basically told them to get lost,” Friedman said during the podcast.

It should come as zero surprise that Drury didn’t entertain trade offers for the team’s star defenseman. This was never going to be a complete teardown and rebuild with the roster; he called it a retool in a letter to the fans.

In a retool, the team is looking to improve and turn things around as fast as possible. That means keeping core players, such as Fox, who elevate the team to another level on the ice when available.

Fox had some issues staying healthy last season, but when he was, the team operated at a different level. Replacing a player of his caliber is not easy, with Braden Schneider’s productivity tanking when tasked with playing a larger role alongside Gavrikov as the No. 1 defenseman pairing.

Adam Fox remains an elite performer

Nov 22, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) keeps the puck away from Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) in the second period at Crypto.com Arena. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In 55 games, he recorded 53 points, handing out 44 assists and scoring nine goals. Despite the team finishing in last place in the Eastern Conference, he had a positive plus/minus ratio of +5. When he is on the ice, good things happen for the Rangers.

In the midst of his prime at 28 years old, Fox is a cornerstone player for the franchise. No one is surprised that Drury didn’t take trade calls on him, but if he were to be made available at any point, the asking price would be astronomical.

A right-handed, puck-moving defenseman is something every franchise craves, and New York is thrilled to have a truly elite one in their lineup.