NY Rangers Trio Standing Out With Defensive Performance

The New York Rangers have gotten off to a strong start this season with a 6-3-1 record, thriving on their home ice.

At Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are 5-0-0, dominating on both ends of the ice. Their offense has performed at a much higher level during home games compared to on the road, something that will have to be figured out as the season moves along.

However, no matter where the team has been playing, their defense has shown up. Even with an ugly 7-1 loss on the road to the New Jersey Devils, there are still a lot of positives to take away from how the team is playing defensively.

Goaltender Dylan Garand has been excellent in place of the injured Igor Shesterkin, who suffered a season-ending lower-body injury. He has stepped up his performance, but isn’t the only player who has done so.

Will Cuylle, Sean Durzi and Vladislav Gavrikov making defensive impact

Three other New York skaters are standing out with their individual performances, embodying the physical style of play that head coach Mike Sullivan and team president and general manager Chris Drury want to see from the club.

Forward Will Cuylle, who has back-to-back 20-goal seasons on his resume, is a great two-way player, making his presence felt on defense with a physical brand of hockey. He has already dropped the gloves this season to help motivate his team after laying some bone-crushing hits.

Even with a growing offensive game, Cuylle’s physicality on defense is what stands out. He currently leads the team with 43 hits, which is the second most in the NHL. This isn’t anything new for the bruising forward, who has administered 895 hits since the 2023-24 campaign, which is the third most in the League in that time.

Another reason the team’s performance on that end of the ice has been better is the improved depth. The Rangers remade their second pairing this season, providing a steadier performance at the blue line.

One of those acquisitions was Sean Durzi. He was part of the return package from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for Vincent Trocheck and has been solid thus far as a second puck-moving defenseman behind Adam Fox, who has nine assists this season.

Durzi is making his presence felt on the defensive end with his ability to create turnovers. He has six takeaways, which is tied for sixth-most in the NHL.

It is easier to buy in when guys at the top of the depth chart, such as Vladislav Gavrikov, are putting their bodies on the line to help the team win. The No. 1 left-handed shooting defenseman, paired with Fox, is currently tied for ninth in the League with 23 blocked shots.

The performance of those three players has helped elevate the team’s overall performance on the defensive end to new heights. As long as the skaters in front of Garand continue playing well, his life will be much easier as he adjusts to being the No. 1 goalie.