The New York Rangers' season felt like it was over as soon as it started. The team got off to an incredibly slow start to the season. After a huge win over the Florida Panthers in the Winter Classic, the Rangers' season officially sunk, after injuries to goalie Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox. Thus the start of the retool.
Once the two returned, New York's play improved and they began stacking wins. For Fox, his presence has been felt greatly, given his scoring production.
On Wednesday, the Rangers lost 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres. Fox was one of New York's best players of the game, scoring a go-ahead goal in the second period and recording an assist. This now extended Fox's point streak to eight games.
After the game, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan talked about Fox's play as of late, saying that this is the same player they saw earlier in the year.
"I think he's captured his game that he started the season with," said Sullivan. "He obviously is an elite player, offensively. He sees it so well. The poise he has with the puck. He drives offense in so many ways, just helping us get out of our end on the offensive blue line, on the power play. I think the decisions he's making on the power play have been great. He quarterbacks that thing up top with his ability to distribute the puck and manipulate the penalty kill with how he scales the line. He runs the line really well and creates opportunity for guys underneath. He's just an elite player offensively."
Mike Sullivan praises Adam Fox as strong play continues to close out the season
While Fox's defensive play had been under scrutiny for quite some time, reaching a boiling point after his role in the United States losing the 4 Nations Face-Off Championship Game. While his play on defense is often debated, there's no denying how great he is on offense.
Fox missed 27 games this season due to upper body and lower body injuries, which required two stints on the long-term injured reserve list. Even so, Fox still ranks as one of the top defenseman in power play situations. According to NHL.com, Fox's 24 points on the power play are tied for eighth-most amongst all defenseman, only nine points back of Quinn Hughes and Evan Bouchard for the lead.. Additionally, Fox averages 8.57 power play points per game with 8.57 (minimum of 15 total power play minutes), ranking second-most amongst defensemen. This is all while averaging 3:14 of ice time per game on the power play, tied for 12th-most amongst all defensemen.
In his eight game points streak, Fox has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists). In his 22 games since returning from his lower body injury, Fox has 24 points (five goals, 19 assists) to his credit.
That's the type of production the Rangers have missed in those 27 games. Had that not been the case, one could only wonder if they would have prevented themselves from falling into last place in the Eastern Conference.
There were question marks as to what Fox's status with the team would be after being noncommittal upon his return. But his latest comments indicate that he is a player set to return for another season, especially with the youth movement helping the team pick up wins in this final stretch.
Don't take Fox's play for granted, as evidenced upon his play since returning from his second injury.