The New York Rangers thought that they hit rock bottom during the 2024-25 season, a campaign in which they missed the playoffs a year after winning the Presidents' Trophy, but they are learning this year that things can always get worse. Fans were delivered a one, two gut-punch on Tuesday afternoon with the news that Igor Shesterkin was headed to injury reserve and Adam Fox to long-term injured reserve, and we now know how the team is initially responding to the news.
Rangers roster moves: Spencer Martin and Scott Morrow recalled while Brett Berard assigned to AHL
UPDATE: #NYR has recalled defenseman Scott Morrow and goaltender Spencer Martin.
— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) January 6, 2026
Additionally, #NYR has assigned forward Brett Berard to AHL Hartford.
Goaltender Callum Tung has been reassigned from ECHL Bloomington to AHL Hartford.
Forward Sullivan Mack has been loaned to… pic.twitter.com/tgOiZjKBSt
It was known that veteran Jonathan Quick would move up the depth chart to assume the starter's net, but the Rangers had options when it came to picking his understudy. They opted to pick veteran Spencer Martin, a player who was signed this season to effectively fill the role previously held by Louis Domingue. This year he's posted a 3.01 goals against average and a .903 save percentage with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. Martin also has 66 games of NHL experience with a 24-30-8 record along with a 3.56 goals against average and .883 save percentage.
Adam Fox's roster replacement was more straight to the point, as Scott Morrow has had short stints with the Rangers already. He's a puck-moving defenseman that has been able to drive offense in the NCAA and AHL, but he's still trying to find his place in the NHL. It is unknown how much of an opportunity he will get, as the Rangers recently took out Matthew Robertson for Urho Vaakanainen, and there's always a chance that Robertson will slide back in and Braden Schneider will get another promotion.
There more than enough time to think about what could happen, but for now, let us focus on the decision to send Brett Berard back to Hartford.
Berard's assignment could hint at J.T. Miller and Noah Laba's return
Interesting that the choice is Martin, and not Dylan Garand. Also curious that Berard is going back to Hartford, leaving them with no extra healthy forwards. That suggests J.T. Miller may be coming off IR, and maybe Noah Laba is close to returning as well. https://t.co/jDPJH1E3d0
— Colin Stephenson (@ColinSNewsday) January 6, 2026
The Rangers do not have an extra forward at their disposal currently, and that's a little unusual. New York isn't back in action again until Thursday, and there's a good chance they address this hole on Wednesday. If you were to make an informed decision based on context clues, it is possible that Miller is almost ready to return, as he was a recent participant in practice. Miller's return would push someone out of the lineup, and would give the team an extra forward. Laba's injury was considered to be less severe than Miller's and there's a chance he's ready to come back too.
In any case, the Rangers will now be in the position of surviving the remainder of a busy January ahead of the Olympic break. They were already facing an uphill battle of trying to gain ground to get back into the playoff picture, and their performance this month without Fox and Shesterkin could very well force management's hand well ahead of the NHL trade deadline.