The New York Rangers are hoping they can find a way to make it back to the playoffs after a disastrous 2024-25 campaign, and they have been filling out their roster in a way that proves they’re trying to do that.
Related: Rangers’ Adam Fox Is a Top-5 Defenseman in the NHL
In this edition of Rangers News & Rumors, we look at the NHL Network’s top-20 list of defenders and where Adam Fox was on it, while touching on Vladislav Gavrikov being left off of it, plus some extensions for their organizational goaltending depth.
NHL Network’s Top-20 List Disrespects Fox, Excludes Gavrikov
Every season, the NHL Network posts a list of their top-20 players at every position, and recently, they released their list of defenders.
Our Top 20 Defensemen Right Now list has a total of:
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 13, 2025
• 19 total All-Star Game appearances
• 9 All-Rookie team honors
• 6 James Norris Memorial Trophies
• 2 Calder Trophies
• 2 Conn Smythe Trophies
• 9 Stanley Cups
What do you think of our list?@NHL | #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/0MaGYS04de
Rangers fans immediately pushed back for two reasons. Firstly, Fox seemed to be too low on the list, considering how strong his campaign was last season and how strong his analytics looked, and secondly, Gavrikov was left off the list entirely after an incredible campaign with the Los Angeles Kings last season.
Some fans try not to look too deep into lists like this, but it’s hard not to acknowledge what seems to be an unfair opinion of Fox after the entire team around him wasn’t strong.
Every fan has their own opinion, and it’s always nice to see players of the team they cheer for on these lists being appreciated, but the pushback from fans was very evident on social media, and it seems as though the new duo of Fox and Gavrikov has some things to prove next season.
Rangers Extend Pair of Depth Goaltenders
On Sunday (Aug. 17), the Rangers announced they had extended a pair of depth goaltenders in Talyn Boyko and Dylan Garand.
#NYR and Talyn Boyko have agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) August 17, 2025
Details: https://t.co/xqET2efNqF pic.twitter.com/eS9x5TcbEM
Boyko, who is 22 years old, played 33 games in the ECHL with the Tulsa Oilers, where he posted a .913 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.66 goals-against-average (GAA), and also appeared in five games with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL) where he posted a 2.61 GAA and a .917 SV%. He was drafted by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft after a strong showing in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Tri-City Americans, and seems to be lined up to become a full-time AHL goaltender next season.
Garand, who is 23 years old, spent the entire 2024-25 season in the AHL with the Wolf Pack, where he posted a .913 SV% and a 2.73 GAA through 39 games. He was drafted 103rd overall by the Rangers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, and he seems to be next in line to get a shot in the NHL when Jonathan Quick decides to retire.
Both of them agreed to one-year extensions.
In the slowest time of the year for hockey news, the Rangers seem to be putting the final touches on their roster as they head toward training camp. They already signed one player to a professional tryout agreement, Conor Sheary, and time will tell if they decide to bring anyone else in to fight for a roster spot and create some internal competition within their organization.
As the 2025-26 season approaches, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news from around the NHL and the hockey world.
