ESPN listed Adam Fox as the best 66th overall pick in NHL history since the league expanded in 1967, and it's a quite an honor for a player who is so early into their career, but a well deserved recognition based on what he's accomplished thus far. Fox was drafted in 2016 by the Calgary Flames, was traded later on to the Carolina Hurricanes, and later flipped to the Rangers before he made his debut during the 2019-20 season.
Fox was special from the beginning
It didn't take long for Fox to prove himself with the Rangers, and the 21 year old defenseman quickly assumed a spot on the top pair, and was running the team's power play. He finished his rookie season with a line of 8-34-42 in 70 games and finished fourth in Calder voting, presumably because the voters didn't want to have three defenders as finalists.
Fox made history the following season as he assumed an even larger role with the team averaging 24:42 per game. This time he tallied a line of 5-42-47 in 55 games and won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defender.
First-time winner Adam Fox is presented the James Norris Memorial Trophy by Brian Leetch! #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/XKtuaBIx0D
— NHL (@NHL) June 30, 2021
He joined Bobby Orr as the only other defender to win the trophy within their first two seasons in the league. Fox continued his superb play the following season finishing with 74 points in 78 games, but only finished fifth in Norris voting.
Fox robbed of second Norris Trophy
The 2022-23 season was another spectacular season for Fox, and in 82 games he tallied 12 goals and 60 assists for 72 points. From an underlying metrics standpoint, Fox had a GF% of 59.63, a CF% of 54.95, and an xGF% of 54.93. He was also only on the ice for for 1.96 goals against per 60 minutes, quite an impressive feat.
Erik Karrlson won the Norris Trophy that season, primarily because he became the first defenseman since Brian Leetch to finish with over 100 points in a single season. He was on a very bad San Jose Sharks team that missed the playoffs, and his underlyings include a 49.63 GF%, a 52.37 CF%, and a 50.65 xGF% while being on the ice for 3.49 goals against per 60 minutes. This was his third Norris Trophy, and one that should have gone to Fox instead.
While there was a significant gap between the two players in terms of raw points, Fox's overall season which saw him contribute the way he did while still delivering execptional defensive results should have been enough to put him over the top.
What Fox has done since
Fox's last two seasons have been very solid, and averaged 23:21 over the last two seasons while scoring 27 goals and adding 107 assists for 134 points in 146 games. In that span he's logged 2,500 minutes at 5v5, posted a 58.84 GF%, a 54.8 CF%, and a 53.35 xGF% while being on the ice for just 2.07 goals against per 60 minutes. Despite not getting the recognition he truly deserves, Fox is an elite defenseman who belong among the best of the best. He continues to evolve his game and contribute for the Rangers, and is well on his way to being one of the best defenders in the history of the Blueshirts.