New York Rangers Add Durzi and Pettersson Big Upgrades to Defense Corps – Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

The New York Rangers have already made some significant moves this offseason. They traded one of their most reliable centers, Vincent Trocheck, to the Utah Mammoth, but got a talented scorer, Pavel Dorofeyev, from the Vegas Golden Knights. They also got two defensemen capable of different roles: Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson, who should form a strong second team this season.

Durzi and Pettersson Are a Perfect Couple

The Rangers acquired Durzi in the Trocheck trade. The right-handed defenseman began his career with the Kings in Los Angeles, finishing with three goals and 24 assists in 64 games as a rookie in 2021-22. He spent two seasons with them before tying his career high in goals (9) and setting his career high in points (41) in 76 games with the Arizona Coyotes in 2023-24. He spent his last two seasons with the Utah Mammoth, including five goals and 22 assists in 60 games last season.

At 27 years old, Durzi should be a contributor on New York’s blue line for years to come. He’s a great player, has a great shot, and has spent the last few seasons as a top-four defender. At 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds, he has the size and strength to win puck battles, and while he takes some risks to get the offense going, the hope is that having a tough defender as a partner will allow him to be more aggressive on offense.

The Rangers also traded for Pettersson, a 30-year-old left-handed defenseman. He started his career with the Anaheim Ducks in 2017-18, but was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2018-19. He set a career high in points with them in 2023-24 with four goals and 26 assists in 82 games. Last season, he had three goals and 15 assists in 82 games with the Vancouver Canucks.

Unlike Durzi, Pettersson is a shutdown defenseman. He is 6-foot-5 and uses his reach to stick on checks and get into shooting and passing lanes. He also makes good passes in the defensive zone to start breakouts. He relies on positioning and intelligence to defend, and is also capable of penetrating the offensive line.

Guardians Need a Strong Second Pairing

Last season, the Rangers had the best pairing of Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov, but their other defensive pairings were shaky. They had a lot of defensive backs, including Matthew Robertson, Will Borgen, Braden Schneider, and, in the first half of the season, Carson Soucy.

The lack of offensive production from the blue line, despite its top pairing, became a major problem when Fox spent two separate periods on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). Gavrikov stepped up and was productive offensively but made some flawless defensive mistakes. None of the Rangers’ defensemen were able to provide much offense, and the team was well out of the playoff race when Fox played his second LTIR.

The hope is that Durzi and Pettersson will help each other out and be the reliable second base pairing the Rangers need. Durzi should be able to provide some offensive production, while Pettersson is solid defensively. If they play at their best, they should take the pressure off the top, which will be key.

Rangers Should Be Better Than Last Season

After a disappointing 2025-26 season, the Rangers have added key players this offseason, including a proven goal scorer in Dorofeyev. Adding Durzi and Pettersson could be the difference on defense. They also have talented young players, who will hopefully compete for the playoffs this season.