Adam Fox has established himself at the very least as one of the best defensemen in the NHL – but his greatness might not be mainstream enough.
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As New York Rangers fans, it’s easy to let bias get in the way when evaluating players on their favorite team. Given what Fox has done since he entered the league during the 2019-20 season, it’s been nothing short of overwhelming and impressive. The Jericho, New York native is on his way to becoming one of the best defensemen the franchise has ever had.
However, the NHL Network recently came out with its Top 20 Defenseman rankings and put seven blueliners ahead of Fox. Among those who were ranked ahead of him were Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy, Gustav Forsling, Miro Heiskanen, Roman Josi, and Victor Hedman.
Some of those names listed ahead of Fox look polarising – but let’s take a look at some of the 26-year-old’s accomplishments and see how they compare to the others.
Fox’s Accomplishments Compared
In just five seasons with the Rangers, Fox has already won one Norris Trophy and was named a finalist for a second time in 2023 for the award. He also finished fourth in Calder Trophy voting in his rookie season and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in college.
While it’s been a short stay for Fox in the pros, Heiskanen, Forsling, and even McAvoy don’t have Norris Trophies to show on their resumes. Josi, who is 34, has been a finalist for the award thrice and won it once. Makar in four straight seasons has been a finalist for it and won it. And there’s of course no debating Hedman’s resume, as the Swede has been a finalist six times in 11 seasons for the Norris, while winning the award in 2018.
Fox, of course, doesn’t have a Stanley Cup to show for, unlike Makar, Hedman, and Forsling on the list. While championships are often used to compare the greatest athletes in their respective sports – make no mistake, that is a team accomplishment. They don’t define individual greatness.
Behind the Numbers
While stats don’t tell the whole story, as there is much more that goes into playing defense than lighting up the score sheet – they could be used as a tool to separate the great blueliners from the next-level ones. Plus, we can compare recent history.
For example, Fox over the last four seasons ranks fourth in scoring amongst defensemen with 266 points. That only trails Josi, Hughes, and Makar. McAvoy ranks 15th, Heiskanen 12th, and Hedman fifth. Meanwhile, Forsling isn’t known for his point production.
Thinking about Adam Fox for no real reason in particular pic.twitter.com/alZ3MMhYAo
— EvolvingWild (@EvolvingWild) July 24, 2024
Fox has also shown to be one of the NHL’s best power play quarterbacks, ranking second in assists with the man advantage over the past four seasons.
Also, underlying metrics favor Fox. Advanced statistics from Evolving Hockey give the 2020-21 Norris winner a 98 grade for offense and a 95 grade for defense.
Fox’s Talent and Skill
Coming out of the draft and college, the biggest issue with Fox has been his skating. Is it below average? Not even close, but skating circles around the opposing team goaltender and hogging the puck in the offensive zone isn’t exactly his game when compared to what makes a defenseman like Makar special.
Instead, Fox makes plays happen with patience and his off-the-charts hockey IQ. At times, it feels like he has eyes on the sides and the back of his head. There is no pass that he can’t make. Also, Fox’s hands are underrated. The 2016 third-round pick can deke and navigate the puck through tight spaces with the very best NHL players.
The interesting element to Fox is he never looks like the most talented hockey player on ice from the eyeball. But what he does so well consistently is he slows down the game and makes tough plays look easy. He forces the opposition to think and defend when the puck is on his stick. The patience helps him and his team exit the defensive zone often with ease.
Another underrated element of Fox’s game is his shooting ability. Can he beat goaltenders clean glove side by unleashing bombs from the point like Shea Weber did? No, but he excels at using his vision to find openings and get pucks to the net. Again, his elite hockey IQ makes defenders have to think about the pass. It’s why the Rangers continue to dominate on the power play.
The fact that Fox isn’t the most talented individual makes everything even more impressive. He thinks the game as well as anyone and probably better than every active NHL defenseman.
McAvoy, Heiskanen, and Forsling are all great defensemen, but Fox is on another level. The alternate captain of the Blueshirts is closer to the greatness of Makar than he is to those three. Fox should rank among the best four defensemen in the NHL at the very least. That’s the reality, and he deserves that respect, whether you want to compare his accolades or inhumane hockey IQ. Plus, he’s still only 26 and will only continue building his legacy.
