Chris Drury's Rangers Retool Prioritizes Defense and Youth

The Rangers surrendered picks No. 26 and 92 plus a conditional 2028 first-rounder to acquire Pavel Dorofeyev, who posted 37 goals last season.

Defense Overhaul Via Two Key Acquisitions

Marcus Pettersson arrived from Vancouver in exchange for a conditional 2030 first-round pick and immediately slots into the top-two pairings on a five-year, $5.5 million contract. The stay-at-home blueliner posted strong underlying numbers with the Canucks after his mid-2024-25 acquisition from Pittsburgh.

Sean Durzi joined the roster as part of the Vincent Trocheck deal with Utah, giving New York four established right-shot defensemen alongside Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov. This configuration reduces the minutes previously shouldered by Will Borgen.

Drury simultaneously moved Borgen to recoup a 2027 second-round pick and a conditional 2028 third-rounder, directly replenishing the prospect pool while upgrading the top-four quality.

The net result is a defensive group now rated above average league-wide, directly supporting Igor Shesterkin in a projected playoff push.

Forward Group Additions Carry Mixed Risk-Reward

Pavel Dorofeyev’s seven-year, $11 million contract begins immediately and places him as the highest-paid forward acquired this summer. At age 25, the left winger supplies a projected 35-plus goal pace to replace lost secondary scoring.

Oliver Bjorkstrand signed for one year at $4.5 million after a down season of only 12 goals in 80 games. His prior four-season average of 20-plus goals offers low-risk upside that can be extended or declined after one year.

Joe Veleno arrived on a one-year, $1.2 million deal strictly as fourth-line depth, adding a reliable penalty-killing forward without long-term cap commitment.

Goaltending Depth Move Raises Questions

Joonas Korpisalo was acquired from Boston for Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth-round pick on a two-year, $4 million cap hit. The 32-year-old posted an .894 save percentage and 3.15 goals-against average in 31 appearances, numbers below the threshold typically required of a reliable Shesterkin backup.

Alternative options with higher upside existed on the market, yet Drury chose the higher-cost veteran whose track record includes multiple team changes.

Asset Management Through Trocheck Trade

Vincent Trocheck was dealt to the Utah Mammoth for Durzi, prospect Cole Beaudoin and a conditional 2027 third-round pick. The transaction freed salary while adding both immediate defense help and future draft flexibility.

Drury’s summer therefore balanced short-term competitiveness with modest prospect accumulation, though the high price paid for Dorofeyev and Pettersson leaves limited margin for error.