New York Rangers’ 2025-26 Report Cards: Matthew Robertson

Many of the New York Rangers’ top players had down seasons or missed extended time with injuries, and they finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Despite the team’s struggles, there were some bright spots as many of their young players showed promise, including rookie defenseman Matthew Robertson.

2025-26 Performance

The Rangers drafted Robertson in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft, but he did not make his NHL debut until the 2024-25 season. He was held without a point in two games with New York, but he was steady in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hartford Wolf Pack and had one goal and 24 assists in 60 games.

Robertson was not in the Rangers’ opening night lineup, but he got an opportunity early in the season when Adam Fox and Carson Soucy missed time with injuries. He made the most of his opportunity, outplayed veteran defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, and earned a spot in the lineup once the injured players returned.

At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Robertson used his strength to help clear the front of the crease and used his reach to get into shooting and passing lanes. He became a key penalty killer and made smart decisions with and without the puck at even strength. He did get beaten a few times in one-on-one situations, but for the most part, he was steady defensively.

Though Robertson did not make risky plays, he made smart pinches in the zone and had a shoot-first mentality. He got shots through from the point and gave his teammates opportunities to score on deflections or rebounds. He scored a beautiful overtime goal as he cut in and won the game on a quick wrist shot in a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Jan. 26. He finished the season with six goals, 12 assists, 107 hits, and 80 blocked shots in 72 games, while averaging 17:24 in ice time per game.

Role on the Rangers Moving Forward

Though Robertson was not one of the Rangers’ top six defensemen by the end of the season, he was an important part of their lineup, and he spent time playing on their second defense pair. New York has a dominant top defense pair in Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov, but they need to find a strong second pair. Over the last two seasons, they traded away K’Andre Miller, Ryan Lindgren, and Jacob Trouba, who spent multiple seasons in New York as top-four defensemen.

Though the Rangers really struggled when Fox was out of the lineup, Robertson was a steady player throughout the season. He used his strength and reach to his advantage, won battles for the puck, and on a team with lots of pass-first players, his shoot-first mentality was ideal.

The Rangers have a lot of defensive defensemen like Will Borgen and Braden Schneider, but Robertson has earned ice time with his reliable defensive play, and may have more offensive upside than Borgen or Schneider. He has the potential to develop into a reliable top-four defenseman, and if not, he should be a solid third-pair defenseman and penalty killer.

Overall Grade

Robertson was a consistent player in a season where many of the team’s top players were inconsistent, and he gets a B+ for his play in 2025-26. He is not a flashy player, but he quietly played well and earned a bigger role as the season went on. He should be someone the team can rely on to play well defensively, including on the penalty kill, while still chipping in offensively. His strong play and the play of some of the Rangers’ other rookies were a bright spot in a frustrating season.