Though the New York Rangers have struggled for most of this season, they have played better recently, and their young players have stepped up late in the season. Rookies Matthew Robertson and Drew Fortescue are both steady defensive defensemen who have the potential to become top-four defensemen for years to come.
Matthew Robertson’s Play
The Rangers drafted Robertson in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He put up impressive offensive numbers with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL) as he finished with 13 goals and 34 assists in 60 games in 2019-20 and had four goals and 18 assists in 22 games in 2020-21.
At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Robertson is a strong defenseman with a long reach, but he took some time to develop and struggled in his first season with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL). Over the past few seasons, he improved his skating, got stronger both offensively and defensively, and became a top defenseman for Hartford. He has spent the majority of the last four seasons in the AHL and had four goals and 17 assists in 68 games last season, and made his NHL debut, playing in two games for the Rangers.
The Rangers opted to play veteran defenseman Urho Vaakanainen rather than Robertson early this season, but Robertson got into the lineup because of injuries on defense. He made the most of his opportunity and replaced Vaakanainen in the lineup when the injured players returned.
Robertson has done a nice job defensively, using his size and strength to clear the front of the crease, and he has become an important penalty killer. He has made smart decisions with and without the puck, and he has also consistently gotten shots from the point on goal. He even scored a beautiful overtime goal in a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins on Jan. 26.
When Adam Fox missed extended time with injuries, Robertson stepped up on defense, and he has already looked comfortable playing in a top-four role. He has been one of the team’s most consistent players this season, and he has five goals and 12 assists in 69 games.
Drew Fortescue’s Play
The Rangers drafted Fortescue late in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He spent the next three seasons at Boston College and became one of their top defensemen. Though he was not known for his offense or physicality, he was steady defensively and was trusted in all situations.
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Fortescue finished with four goals and four assists in 40 games at Boston College in 2023-24, no goals and 11 assists in 36 games last season, and four goals and 10 assists in 35 games this season. He also won gold for the United States at the World Junior Championship in both 2024 and 2025.
After completing his junior season at Boston College, Fortescue signed with the Rangers, and he has played seven games with them. He is a good skater, reliable defensively, and he has made clean passes out of the defensive zone to start the rush. He made a nice pass to set up an Alexis Lafreniere breakaway goal in a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on April 8. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound blueliner has no goals and two assists in his seven games in the NHL, and at 20 years old, he has looked comfortable and poised.
The Rangers’ Young Defensemen Have Played Well
Though some of the Rangers’ top players have struggled, Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov have played well together on the team’s top defense pair, and their rookie blueliners have shown promise. The hope is that both Robertson and Fortescue can be key players for them for years to come and help the team improve defensively.
