The New York Rangers shocked their fans when they dealt 2019 No. 2 overall pick Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken for Will Borgen and a pair of picks in December of 2024. Fans were shocked once again when he was signed to a five-year, $20.5 million extension after 17 games on Broadway, and it is fair to say fans were shocked a third time by today's news that they are already moving on from him. After acquiring Sean Durzi as part of the Vincent Trocheck trade, something had to give on the Rangers' defense. It is hard to imagine anyone being upset with this move, but it just brings back to the surface how bizarre his acquisition was in the first place.
Rangers undo mistake and recoup draft picks in the process
Borgen is signed at $4.1 million for the next four years, and the Rangers have received a pair of picks with some conditions attached. New York is receiving a 2027 second round pick and a 2028 third round pick that can upgrade to a 2028 second round pick if Boston makes the conference final in either 2026-27 or 2027-28 and Borgen plays in 50% of team's playoff games. At best, the Rangers get two second rounds picks, and at worst it is a second and a third.
Good deal for both https://t.co/2pNKq9B5vS pic.twitter.com/gjEZmxarl9
— CapWages (@CapWages) July 1, 2026
That they are getting that, plus Borgen off the roster, is a serious win no matter how you look at it because of the player Borgen ended up being for the Blueshirts. In 75 games this season, he posted five goals and 15 points. While that’s a career-high in goals, it’s a production downgrade from the 13 points he tallied in just 51 games the year prior.
As pointed out in his year end report card, "he finished the year with a 50.17 GF%, 45.17 CF%, and 47.49 xGF% per Evolving-Hockey." While those weren't the worst numbers in the world, it was a detriment to the Rangers because it was third-pair performance in a second-pair assignment. Durzi projects to be a player who should excel on the second pair, especially with someone like Marcus Pettersson as his partner.
Rangers will benefit from a new look defense
New York's defense will be a lot stronger to start the season, and will be highlighted by Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov on the top pair. The new additions of Durzi and Pettersson should make up the second pair, and then comes an open competition for pair three.
I'd imagine Alberts Smits will get every chance to make the team, and he will face competition in the form of Matthew Robertson and Drew Fortescue on the left side. Braden Schneider remains an RFA, and if he's signed he will take the right hand spot. There's always a chance they move on from him and bring someone else in, but I would say the trading of Borgen makes his return that much more likely.
The Rangers are in a much better spot today than they were a week ago, and ultimately it will come down to what happens on the ice. Fans have every reason to feel optimistic about the changes that have been made, and while there's no telling how the new additions will perform, and a bare minimum the Rangers improved by the mere fact that they are no longer paying Will Borgen.
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