Examining Will Borgen's Best Game As A New York Ranger So Far

Borgen's Sunday

On Sunday afternoon the New York Rangers played the second half of a back-to-back in Chicago against a struggling Blackhawks team who are now 1-7-0 in their last eight games. The Rangers have struggled over their last few months of play, but are now 2-1-0 in the 2025 calendar year after wins over the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks.

In mid-December the Rangers traded Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for defenseman Will Borgen and draft picks. The defenseman joined a Rangers team that had been struggling on the blue line and had just traded away their defensive captain Jacob Trouba earlier in the month.

Borgen had showed some promise in flashes since joining the Blueshirts, but was yet to have a real breakout game with the team. That changed on Sunday though, when Borgen registered his first goal as a New York Ranger, and helped shutdown Chicago's offensive counter attacks. After trailing Chicago 1-0 early, the Rangers were looking for some offense to avoid losing yet another game. Jonny Brodzinski would tie the game for the Blueshirts with about five minutes remaining in the first period, and Borgen would propel New York into the lead just three minutes later.

After a bit of a scramble in front, Borgen wired home a shot from the high-slot to beat Blackhawks goalie Arvid Söderblom. The goal was just Borgen's second of the year, bringing him to three points overall.

Borgen's 2025

The Rangers are just three games into 2025, but so far Borgen is giving Rangers fans reason to be bullish on the 28-year-old. Across their first three games, the Blueshirts have a goal difference of plus-two and a 2-1-0 record- Borgen is a big part of why. While on the Kraken this season Borgen found himself playing less minutes due to Seattle's acquisition of new high-end defensive talent like Brandon Montour, but on the Rangers Borgen has found himself earning more and more ice time.

Over the first three games of the new year, Borgen has averaged about 19 minutes of time-on-ice for the Rangers, tallying a goal and putting up a plus/minus of plus-three. Plus/minus can be a misleading stat, but it's hard to argue that a defenseman who's on the ice for more goals for than against is a negative.

If Borgen can keep up his defensive reliability and contribute on offense sporadically, he may be able to be a big part of getting the Rangers season back on track and vying for a playoff spot.