There were not a lot of bright spots during the 2025-26 season for the Rangers, but Matthew Robertson was definitely one of them. He was one of the Rangers' most hyped up prospects since he was drafted in the second round of the 2019 draft. But his prospect status has continued to take a hit over the last few years as he seemed stuck in the AHL. He had played solid hockey but never took the next step to earn himself a promotion to the NHL. But things changed this season. But what was Robertson able to do to change the perception surrounding him?
Expectations
Robertson only had a cup of coffee in the NHL during the 2024-25 season. He appeared in only two games, in which he failed to record a point. While he saw limited NHL ice time, he did have plenty of AHL ice time. In 60 games with the Wolf Pack, he had one goal and 24 assists for 25 points. This fell right in line with what his career averages had been during his four seasons in the AHL. These performances, plus the lack of opportunities, made it seem like his development would stall.
Going into training camp, there was not a ton of excitement surrounding him. He was on the roster bubble, with it going either way if he made the roster or not. It looked like he would either be sent back to Hartford or be the seventh defenseman on the roster. The only way he would get consistent playing time would be if injuries occurred. It looked like it would be another loss season.
Performance
Robertson was able to impress Mike Sullivan and the rest of the coaching staff during the preseason to earn the extra defenseman spot on the roster. He made his season debut on October 12th against the Capitals, the Rangers' fourth game of the season. Four days later, Robertson registered his first NHL goal and point in the third period against the Canadiens. For the rest of October and November, he would see on and off-ice time. This inconsistent playing time prevented him from getting into a rhythm, which is why he recorded only an assist during that stretch.
However, when a defenseman like Adam Fox got banged up, it opened an opportunity for Robertson. He was able to get more consistent time, leading to more point production. During the month of December, he had one of his best months production-wise, racking up a goal and four assists. This earned him consistent playing time for the rest of the season. Although he was mostly on the third pairing, he was able to tally four goals and seven assists over the final four months. Giving him a point total of six goals and 12 assists for 18 points on the season.
Not only were his counting stats impressive, but his advanced metrics are good as well. According to Natural Stat Trick, he had a 48.86 CF%, a 50.56 SCF%, and a 49.79 xG%. For someone who had little NHL experience before this season, this is a good mark. This shows that he can generate a solid amount of offense. The pairings he was on also produced results similar to those of Robertson's metrics. It's clear that Robertson can be productive at the NHL level and be someone the Rangers can rely on moving forward.
Grade: A
Where do we go from here?
The Rangers are planning to be active during the summer with their defensive unit. Mike Sullivan has come out and said that they are looking for a puck-moving defenseman during the offseason. This will take a spot at the Rangers' top two pairings. This will make it very unlikely that Robertson could steal a spot on the first or second pairing. But his performance should have solidified him as someone who can be on the third pairing.
Robertson can also use Sullivan's comments as fuel during the offseason. He knows what Sullivan wants in a defenseman and can build his offseason program around it. He can focus on improving his offensive output. He can then go into training camp and show Sullivan that he can be the player he feels the team is missing. Thus, improving his standing with the coaching staff and in the organization.
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