Adam Fox’s special teams presence will be valuable down the stretch
Adam Fox has either won the Norris Trophy or found himself in the top-five for three years running, and he still may at least get a look when the regular season ends in April. While his overall numbers aren’t as good in 2023-24, we must remember he landed on injured reserve earlier this season, so that was a hindrance.
But when he’s healthy, few, if any, blueliners are more valuable than Fox, who still has 37 points and eight goals in 40 games this season. While it’s not likely to see him set a new personal-best for points, he only needs to stay at his near points-per-game level to keep contributing efficiently when the Rangers have the puck.
Points aren’t the only reason Fox is so good, since if you look at the number of blocks he had over the previous two seasons and even the 56 so far this year, they show us that he has a talent for invading scoring lanes. He can be as disruptive as many blueliners in hockey, and it’s why he can be so effective regardless of who has possession of the puck.
Producing more at even strength, however, is one area Fox can improve, as the Rangers on-ice shooting percentage with him in the game sits at just 7.6 percent. If he gives himself and his teammates more chances in that situation, he will be more of a game-changer now than ever before.