At this stage of his career, it is difficult for a perennial Norris Trophy candidate to surprise anyone. Yet through the opening month of the 2026-27 season, New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox is putting together an opening stretch that might be the very best of his NHL career.
The same can be said for the entire Blueshirts roster. Up and down the lineup, players are stepping into defined roles and executing, carrying the team to a 7-3-1 record and a share of first place in the Metropolitan Division.
Fox has elevated his game to an entirely new tier, and the structural support around him is setting up a massive campaign on Broadway.
Hot start for No. 23
Fox has burst out of the gate with 10 assists through his first 10 games of the month. He comfortably paces the roster in helpers and trails only Alexis Lafrenière for the overall team lead in points.
With Vladislav Gavrikov at his side, and him being deployed more efficiently due to the Blueshirts finally having a comparable and competitive second pairing in Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson, Fox is reminding everyone why he's one of the best in the world. The team's newfound depth on defense has also allowed for this pairing to flourish.
According to Moneypuck.com, for defensive pairings with over 140 minutes of ice time together this season, Fox-Gavrikov is ranked fourth in xGF% with 54.4%. Additionally, they are third in the NHL for xGoals Against at 5.7.
Over his career in New York, Fox has appeared in 68 October games, racking up 11 goals, 47 assists, and 58 points. October has always been a strong month for him, highlighted by the 2022–23 campaign where he posted an 11-point month (two goals, nine assists) in nine games
This year, he has already established a new personal best for October assists with 10. What makes this start even more remarkable is the efficiency behind it. Fox is averaging just 21:50 of ice time per game. That is his lowest October workload since his rookie campaign in 2019–20 (18:22), and well down from the 24-minute grind he routinely carried between 2020 and 2023.
With three games remaining on the October schedule, a pair of road stops in Toronto and Ottawa before a home tilt against Los Angeles, Fox needs just two points to surpass his 2022–23 mark and lock in his highest-scoring opening month as a Ranger.
Anchoring the blue line in the Norris Trophy race
Annually, entering Adam Fox's name into the Norris Trophy conversation is a safe bet. He is among the best blue liners in the NHL, and has been since entering the league.
At 28 years old, he is smack dab in the center of his prime. This version of No. 23 is the very best that we will see of him, and so far, it has been as advertised.
The rest of the NHL has seen some fantastic starts for potential Norris Trophy candidates, like Evan Bouchard of Edmonton and Seth Jones of Florida. But Fox has been consistent enough to give himself a chance to be in that conversation, and could be at the head of it by season's end.
This Rangers team is going to need Fox to continue to be great. With Dylan Garand "the guy" now, there is a slippery slope in net, despite his great start. Fox is the biggest and best security blanket this franchise has, and this season is shaping up to be his best one yet.
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