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Rangers paid for Gavrikov but may have struck gold with someone cheaper

ByJustin Bonhard|
May 28, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Scott Morrow (56) enters the ice for warm up prior to the first period against the Florida Panthers in game five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
May 28, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Scott Morrow (56) enters the ice for warm up prior to the first period against the Florida Panthers in game five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers might have landed the free agent of the summer with Vladislav Gavrikov, but they might have gotten a much bigger piece with their other defensive acquisition. Coming over in the K'Andre Miller trade, Scott Morrow holds just as much hype coming over to the Rangers as the new $7 million AAV player.

But, what does the newcomer bring to the table for the Rangers? What are his expectations? Let's talk about it.

Morrow will be counted on

From the first shift, Morrow will be in the spotlight. Much like the player that he is replacing, and who he was partly traded for, K'Andre Miller, Morrow will have a heavy weight on his shoulders throughout his first campaign.

With Gavrikov and Adam Fox manning the top line on the blue line, and Carson Soucy alongside Will Borgen on line two, Morrow can see some time on line with Braden Schneider in the third-pairing. But if he can show a good impression, Borgen and Morrow could swap.

What kind of expectation is on Morrow

Morrow has a pretty healthy list of expectations, but it depends on the playing time he has. The Rangers defense might be the best it has been in a long time, but there is a lot of unpredictability. This lot of six has not been together as a unit yet, and two big pieces are newly thrown into the mix.

The expectation for Morrow is to keep up in his first full season. He had 14 games of NHL experience last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, notching his first career goal and adding five assists for six points. That is a solid amount of production in a short amount of time. It will be interesting to see how it correlates to a full 82-game slate. If his AHL season is any indication, 13 goals, 26 assists, and 39 points in 52 games, the Rangers and their fans are in for a good time.

It is worth noting that he was also a member of the Hurricanes five playoff games this postseason, but did not register much of an impact.

Consistency and longevity will be the key for Morrow, and if he becomes a dependable figure, that conversation of playtime comes into effect.