New York Rangers and the rise of defenseman Adam Fox
Its been a successful season for New York Rangers rookie defenseman Adam Fox. His contributions to the team have been important as the Blueshirts push for a playoff spot.
Adam Fox has been an underrated plus for the New York Rangers this season. It seems that there hasn’t been much talk about him, but his play has been very impressive. The Rangers acquired Fox from the Carolina Hurricanes last April for a pair of second-round picks. So far, the Blueshirts seemed to have won this trade with how well Fox has played this season.
A Long Island native, Fox made his professional debut this year. He maybe be an NHL rookie in status, but looks more like a veteran on the ice. The former Harvard Crimson star plays a strong game in his own zone and has been able to handle would-be attackers. While on offense, Fox can jump into the play and excels at setting up his teammates. He makes impressive passes, but if given chance to score, Fox will shoot the puck.
Last Monday, the New York Rangers traded veteran blueliner Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2020 first-round draft pick. Since the team extended Chris Kreider‘s contract, they had to deal away someone for the cap space to make it happen. Fox’s play in 2019-20 made Skjei expendable. While it is sad to see Sjkei go, Fox now has more opportunities to shine.
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While not as heralded as other rookie defensemen such as Quin Hughes and Cale Makar, the 22-year-old has proven that he is just as good, with seven goals and 27 assists through 64 games. Fox plays very well within coach David Quinn’s system. His pairing with fellow rookie Ryan Lindgren has been a perfect match.
The New York Rangers are extremely young. Players like Fox, who demonstrate a style of play more advanced than their years, make them seem much more experienced. He should continue to play with Lindgren, but also see more time on special teams. Thursday’s game against Montreal proved what kind of player Fox is. He contributed an assist and scored the game-winning goal.
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Adam Fox has become part of the Blueshirts core and will be a team leader in the future. Don’t be surprised to see an “A” on the front of his sweater in a year or two. He should be in consideration for the Calder Trophy, as the NHL’s Rookie of the year. Maybe that’s a stretch because of the other talented players in the league, but he’s put himself in the conversation.