The New York Rangers recalled Matthew Robertson from the Hartford Wolf Pack on Friday night ahead of Saturday’s matchup in Ottawa, but his arrival doesn't mean he's getting in the lineup. Instead, it looks like Scott Morrow could finally be gearing up to make his season debut.
The reason behind Robertson’s sudden trip to Canada comes down to Sean Durzi. Durzi missed practice on Wednesday and again on Friday for maintenance. While he battled through 20:09 of ice time during Thursday’s 5-4 regulation loss in Toronto, he was clearly feeling the wear and tear.
#NYR head coach Mike Sullivan also didn’t offer much when asked if there was concern over Sean Durzi (maintenance) playing tomorrow:
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) October 23, 2026
“I don’t know. He’s got a maintenance day right now. We’ll see how he is, and we’ll make a decision.”
Durzi has been an absolute home run on the second pair since arriving this offseason, posting two goals and two assists through 12 games while anchoring the breakout alongside Marcus Pettersson. In fact, Durzi had just five goals in 76 games all of last season, so he’s scoring at a blistering clip right now. If Durzi has to sit against the Senators, how Mike Sullivan configures his blue line will tell us a lot about how he views his defense.
Scott Morrow is due for a chance
Morrow has been a healthy scratch for every single game this season after getting into 29 games for New York last year. When the opening night roster was finalized, it was Robertson who had to go through waivers, thankfully clearing, while the Rangers kept Morrow on the varsity squad for a situation just like this.
Morrow is a right-handed shot with genuine puck-moving skill who put up decent numbers in college, and in the AHL prior to being acquired from Carolina. If he steps in for Durzi, Marcus Pettersson is the ideal partner for him. Pettersson is a sturdy, predictable shutdown defender who is fundamentally sound in his own zone. That kind of defensive security blanket allowed Durzi to take calculated risks and jump into the rush, and it would do the exact same thing to bring out the best in Morrow's game.
Braden Schneider doesn't deserve a promotion
The worst-case scenario on Saturday would be Sullivan dressing Morrow only to bump Braden Schneider up to the second pair.
Doing that would force the Rangers to basically lean on two pairs all night, primarily because rookie Alberts Smits is being heavily sheltered at just 14:51 of ice time per game. Schneider was already handed a promotion to the top pair last season when Adam Fox went down with an injury, and it famously went off the rails. Going right back to that well would be beyond frustrating.
Schneider is averaging 17:34 a night through 12 games with just two assists to his name. While he plays a physical brand of hockey, racking up 27 hits and 15 blocks, his transition game remains a massive issue. He has four takeaways against 10 giveaways, and he routinely struggles to break pucks out cleanly under pressure.
Schneider signed a one-year deal this past summer, and as time goes on, the front office's decision not to trade him for forward help looks more and more questionable. Forcing him into top-four matchup minutes against Ottawa's skilled forwards is asking for trouble.
If the Rangers want to keep Robertson, he needs six games
While Robertson might just be an insurance policy in the press box on Saturday, his recall brings up a crucial decision Chris Drury has to navigate.
The Rangers can keep Robertson on the active roster for up to 30 days or nine games before he needs waivers again. But if they care about protecting their organizational depth beyond this season, they need to find six games to get him into.
Robertson is currently tracking to become a Group 6 unrestricted free agent on July 1. Because he is 26 years old and has three pro seasons under his belt, he needs to hit 80 career NHL games to remain under team control. Right now, he sits at 74. If he gets into six games, his RFA status is reinstated for the summer.
He would eventually become a UFA the following year anyway once he hits age 27, but keeping him as an RFA this offseason gives the Rangers real leverage. Even if they decide to trade him down the road, an acquiring team would have the peace of mind knowing they hold an extra year of team control.
Durzi’s status creates a ripple effect throughout the entire defensive depth chart. We'll find out closer to puck drop whether he can go, but Sullivan's choice on the right side will show whether he's willing to trust Morrow's upside or fall back on a flawed option.
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