Rangers Face Major Test as Adam Fox Injury Clouds Season Outlook
The New York Rangers’ 2025-26 campaign has already had its share of turbulence, but things might have gone from concerning to critical. In Saturday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, star defenseman Adam Fox exited the game with an upper-body injury. After the game, head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed that Fox is still being evaluated, but early indications suggest the news may not be good.
And if Fox is out for any meaningful stretch of time, the ripple effects could be significant.
Let’s be clear: Adam Fox isn’t just a top-pair defenseman - he’s the engine that drives the Rangers’ blue line and a focal point of their offense. The 2020-21 Norris Trophy winner is tied for the team lead in scoring with 26 points in 27 games, and he’s the quarterback of a power play that has carried a heavy load for this team so far.
Without Fox, that power play - and by extension, the entire offensive structure - could be in trouble. Mika Zibanejad, the team’s third-leading scorer, has leaned heavily on the man advantage for his production. If the power play sputters without Fox orchestrating from the point, it’s fair to wonder where the Rangers are going to find consistent offense.
And here’s the real issue: there’s no obvious replacement waiting in the wings. Vladislav Gavrikov, the team’s No. 2 defenseman, is a solid contributor and put up 30 points last season, but he’s not a natural fit to run the power play. He’s more of a stabilizing presence than a dynamic puck-mover.
Scott Morrow, the highly touted prospect who entered the year as the organization’s No. 2-ranked prospect, has the kind of offensive instincts that might one day make him a power play weapon. But he’s not there yet.
Morrow has just three points in 12 AHL games and one point in four NHL appearances. Early reviews from Hartford haven’t exactly been glowing, so expecting him to step into Fox’s shoes feels like a stretch.
The Rangers were already fighting to gain traction in the Eastern Conference, and losing their most impactful defenseman - and arguably their most important player - could be a gut punch to their postseason hopes. There’s still time to right the ship, but without Fox, the margin for error shrinks dramatically.
Around the League: Injury Updates from Toronto and Columbus
In Toronto, the Maple Leafs are hoping for better news regarding defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who left Saturday’s win over Pittsburgh with an upper-body injury. Head coach Craig Berube said postgame that the injury isn’t expected to be serious, but the veteran blueliner will be evaluated further.
Ekman-Larsson has been a revelation this season. With 20 points in 25 games, he’s pacing for 66 points - a massive leap from the 29 he posted last year.
At 34, he’s found new life in Toronto’s system, contributing both on the power play and, to a lesser extent, the penalty kill. Losing him, even short term, would be a blow to a Leafs team that’s leaned on his resurgence.
He’s under contract for two more years beyond this season at a $3.5 million cap hit, and so far, that deal is looking like a bargain.
Meanwhile, in Columbus, the Blue Jackets are monitoring the health of two key veterans. Defenseman Zach Werenski and center Sean Monahan both missed practice today, with the team noting that they’ve been “battling through some things” recently.
Werenski is logging heavy minutes - over 26 per game - and has been highly productive with 24 points in 25 contests. He’s been dealing with an upper-body issue, but it hasn’t kept him out of the lineup yet. Still, any lingering concern about Werenski is worth watching, given how much he means to this team on both ends of the ice.
Monahan, on the other hand, hasn’t quite found his rhythm this season. After putting up 57 points in just 54 games last year - a performance that earned him the Bill Masterton Trophy - he’s managed just 11 points through 25 games in 2025-26. He also dealt with an upper-body injury earlier this month, though it’s unclear if his current status is related.
For a Blue Jackets team trying to stay competitive in a tight Metropolitan Division, the health of their top players is paramount. Werenski is their anchor, and Monahan, even in a down year, still brings veteran savvy and two-way reliability.
Injuries are always part of the grind, but for teams like the Rangers, Maple Leafs, and Blue Jackets - each with playoff aspirations - the timing and severity of these setbacks could shape the trajectory of their seasons. As December looms, depth, adaptability, and a little bit of luck may be the difference between staying in the hunt and falling behind.