• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
New York Rangers

Rangers’ Fox Living up to Hype

By Brian Abate January 6th, 2020

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

When the New York Rangers traded a second-round pick in 2019, as well as a conditional pick, which has now become a second-round pick in 2020, to the Carolina Hurricanes for Adam Fox, he was expected to have success in the NHL. That’s because he was coming off a dominant year at Harvard.

Jimmy Vesey and Matt Gilroy

Just three years earlier the Rangers signed another player out of Harvard. He too, had a stellar career at Harvard. That player was Jimmy Vesey. The team hoped he could become a franchise player.

It’s safe to say that didn’t happen. Vesey failed to produce more than 35 points in any of his three seasons with the Blueshirts. He was a minus-37 over those three seasons and was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick.

Jimmy Vesey, Free Agent
Jimmy Vesey when he was at Harvard (Photo by Gil Talbot)

Matt Gilroy, a highly-touted prospect whom the Rangers signed out of Boston University in 2009, was also a disappointment for New York. He had 37 points in 45 games during his senior year in college and was expected to continue be a good playmaker in the NHL.

That did not happen, as Gilroy produced just 26 points in 142 games with the Blueshirts. He was often a healthy scratch, and by 2014 was out of the NHL.

Adam Fox

Unlike Vesey and Gilroy, Fox has exceeded expectations so far this season. He’s been solid defensively and has shown impressive instincts, leading all defensemen on the team with 31 takeaways in 41 games. Fox is also plus-3 in his rookie season and has smoothly adapted to the pace of the game in the NHL. He uses his stick well to deflect shots and passes in the defensive zone, and continues to earn ice time late in games when New York is clinging to a lead.

While he’s done a nice job defensively, Fox has excelled offensively, making quick passes out of the defensive zone to lead the rush, while showing great vision setting up teammates, as well as a knack for knowing when to pinch and step up in the offensive zone.

Adam Fox New York Rangers
New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (Sarah Stier-USA TODAY Sports)

He’s already earned the trust of head coach David Quinn, who has demonstrated his confidence in Fox by playing him in 3-on-3 overtime situations. The strategy has already paid off for the Blueshirts. In an overtime game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Fox knocked the puck away from Evgeni Malkin. He retrieved the puck and broke out, then patiently held on to the puck as long as he could, before sliding a pass across to fellow rookie Kappo Kakko, who tapped it into a wide open net.

The Rangers are now at the midway point in their season and Fox has played in all 41 games. He’s tallied 5 goals and added 17 assists. That puts him on pace for 44 points this season, the most by a defenseman with the Blueshirts since Brian Leetch had 71 points in the 1988-89 season. He went on to win the Calder Trophy that season, and is now in the Hall of Fame. While Fox hasn’t been as dominant as Leetch was during his first season, he has nonetheless been very impressive.

Looking Ahead

Fox has smoothly transitioned to the NHL from college, but the second half of the season will be a test for him. Unlike fellow rookie blueliners Ryan Lindgren and Libor Hajek, Fox never played professional hockey before this season and isn’t used to playing so many games. Last season, Lindgren played a combined 70 games in the American Hockey League and NHL, and Hajek played 63 games. Fox never played more than 35 games in a season during the three he spent at Harvard.

Through 41 games, Fox has been everything the Rangers have hoped for. His play during the rest of this season will show whether or not he’s ready for an 82-game season against the best in the world. If he is, this may be the best season by a Rangers’ rookie defenseman in a long time.

  • Tags
  • Adam Fox
  • Jimmy Vesey
  • Matt Gilroy
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 23rd 6:58 PM
Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens’ Price Still Has Room to Improve Early in 2020-21

Jan 23rd 4:05 PM
All-Star Weekend

25 Years Later: The FoxTrax Glowing Puck Makes Its Debut

Jan 23rd 3:50 PM
Boston Bruins

Bruins Should Play Grzelcyk With McAvoy

Jan 23rd 3:23 PM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Are Being Too Patient With the Puck

Jan 23rd 2:20 PM
Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ Pierre-Oliver Joseph Shines in NHL Debut

Jan 23rd 2:10 PM
Anaheim Ducks

Ducks Prospects: Lacombe, McLaughlin, Sundsvik & More

Jan 23rd 2:00 PM
Colorado Avalanche

Prospects News & Rumors: Clarke, Byram & Cozens

Jan 23rd 2:00 PM
New York Islanders

Islanders’ Kieffer Bellows Adapting to New Role

Jan 23rd 1:50 PM
Calgary Flames

Flames’ Monahan Vying to Be Best Center in North Division

Jan 23rd 1:40 PM
Columbus Blue Jackets

NHL Rumors: Oilers, Canucks, & Truth Behind Jets and Blue Jackets Trade

Editor’s Picks
2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini's Top 75 Rankings

2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini's Top 75 Rankings

Wayne Gretzky Almost Joined the Detroit Red Wings

Wayne Gretzky Almost Joined the Detroit Red Wings

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information