The Rangers made one set of lineup tweaks at practice Friday, but the defense is still waiting for its real shakeup.
Mike Sullivan moved Pavel Dorofeyev onto the top forward line and dropped Gabe Perreault to the third line, yet he left his blue-line pairings alone despite hinting earlier in the week that changes could be coming. Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov remain locked together, and beyond that, the defense is still a puzzle.
That leaves 18-year-old rookie Alberts Smits at the center of the conversation. New York has been careful not to overload its prized fifth overall pick, but the organization is getting closer to a decision point on what actually helps his development most.
“We’re trying to be conscious of not giving him too much too soon.” #NYR https://t.co/UUHeIfQB4Y
- Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) October 30, 2026
Smits arrived with plenty of buzz. In June, he became the highest-drafted Latvian player in NHL history, and after winning the Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award in camp, he earned an opening-night roster spot at 18.
The early NHL results have been rough. Through 14 games, Smits has played 201 minutes at five-on-five and posted a 39.49 GF%, a 45.4 CF%, and a 42.15 xGF%, according to Evolving-Hockey. Among Rangers defensemen, he sits last in every underlying possession category.
The numbers tell the story of a player still trying to survive the league, not drive play in it. At five-on-five, the Rangers are scoring 1.74 goals per 60 minutes with Smits on the ice and allowing 2.67 against.
That defensive number is workable for a teenage rookie in a tough spot. The bigger issue is the lack of offense, which has come with Smits playing extremely cautiously and rarely holding onto the puck long enough to create anything.
A big reason for that is the partner he’s been asked to work with.
For most of the season, Smits has been paired with Braden Schneider, and that matchup has not helped the rookie grow into his game. Schneider is physical and hard to play against, but his puck management has been a problem. He looks uncomfortable on breakouts, rushes glass-and-out clears, and fires panic passes just to get rid of the puck.
That’s a brutal environment for an 18-year-old defenseman trying to learn the NHL game. Smits has had little room to take chances up ice because every mistake can turn into a rush the other way.
If Sullivan wants to find out what Smits can really do, the next move has to be a different partner. Scott Morrow stands out as the cleanest internal option because of his skating and offensive instincts, the kind of profile that can ease breakout pressure and let Smits be more aggressive in passing lanes. There was also a brief look at a different setup Monday against Los Angeles, when Sullivan paired Smits with Sean Durzi in the third period.
Still, Sullivan’s priorities are clear. He wants to win now, and his tendency to bench Smits for long stretches in the third period shows he does not fully trust the rookie in close games. But keeping an 18-year-old blue-chip defenseman in a limited role beside a puck-handling anchor helps nobody.
If a better partner doesn’t change the picture, then the Rangers may have to consider Hartford. Jay Leach, the Wolf Pack head coach, has a reputation as one of the best developmental teachers in the game. He played 12 years professionally, including 499 AHL games, 180 ECHL games and 70 NHL contests, before moving behind the bench.
A trip to Hartford would not be a demotion in the punitive sense. It could actually give Smits the kind of runway he needs: 22 minutes a night, first power-play duty, room to make mistakes, and a chance to build confidence under Leach instead of shrinking on Broadway.
For now, though, the first step is obvious. Sullivan owes Smits a partner who can move the puck.
The Rangers have a heavy November schedule ahead, and they need to make the most of the roster they have. What that means for Smits should become clear soon.
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Rangers Fans Will Notice One Frustrating Thing About Sullivans New Lines
Mike Sullivan spent practice tinkering with the Rangers forward groups, and the most notable wrinkle was a new look at the top of the lineup. Pavel Dorofeyev skated with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere, giving the club a different combination to evaluate as it continues sorting out chemistry and balance up front.
The defensive side, meanwhile, stayed exactly where it was, with Vlad Gavrikov and Adam Fox together, Marcus Pettersson with Sean Durzi, and Alberts Smits alongside Braden Schneider. Eeli Tolvanen was absent for personal reasons, but the bigger takeaway for Rangers fans is the shuffle among the forwards, especially the move that pushed Gabe Perreault down the lineup and left another familiar piece in place elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]