
The New York Rangers have had a very busy offseason, and the team is hoping to be much better than they were last season. However, in order for them to accomplish that, they will need some key players to be at their best.
Last year, things seemingly hit rock bottom for the Rangers. The team finished in last place in the Eastern Conference, and they ended up with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
New York was able to land a talented player in Alberts Smits to help them get younger, but the team knew that they would need a lot more. Chris Drury was able to do a strong job of helping not only get the roster better, but also a bit younger.
The Rangers didn’t want to break things down and rebuild, but instead retooling this roster was the goal. One of the main reasons for that decision was the belief that they can win with Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin.
There is certainly reason to believe that the team can be successful with those two as the anchors, and the front office has tried to surround them with some more talent. However, as the salary cap changes in the league, the Rangers find themselves with their star having a great contract all of a sudden.
Even though the star defenseman of the Rangers missed a good chunk of time last season, he was nearly a point-per-game player for New York when on the ice last year.
Overall, he totaled 53 points in 55 games with nine goals and 44 assists. As the quarterback of the power play, this unit was special with him on the ice. He was able to record five goals and 19 assists on the man-advantage, proving he is one of the best in the league in that area.
When looking at his contract, the $9.5 million number over the next three years, with the salary cap changing, has become an absolute steal of a contract for the Rangers.
If Fox were to be a free agent now, he surely would be getting a deal well north of $10 million per season, and the Rangers have to be happy with what his current value is.
Now, as the team starts to plan for next season, the health of Fox is going to be a key component. New York is much better with their star defenseman on the ice, and if he can play close to the 84 scheduled games, they will be in good shape.
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