The New York Rangers did not have the best on-ice performance in 2024-25. Through the first 20 or so games, they seemed like Stanley Cup contenders. However, once the season went along, the team crumbled. Drama filled the air on and off the ice on Broadway. And it led to a number of changes to the lineup.
New York continued shuffling the deck this summer. Chris Kreider was traded to the Anaheim Ducks at the beginning of the offseason. Once NHL Free Agency began, it was defenseman K'Andre Miller who was traded. Miller went to the Carolina Hurricanes and promptly signed an eight-year contract with his new team.
The Rangers have a mix of young players and veteran stars. Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Adam Fox lead the veteran contingent. Meanwhile, the young core is currently headed up by Alexis Lafereniere and Will Cuylle. Overall, this is a solid team that could make a push for postseason hockey.
New York is going to need some of their youngsters to step up, though. The veterans aren't getting younger, and they could use some support as the season rolls along. With this in mind, here are two intriguing young players on the Rangers roster who could be considered breakout candidates for the 2025-26 season.
Rangers' Scott Morrow could see top-four time
The Rangers traded Miller to the Hurricanes, as mentioned earlier. In return, New York received two first-round picks, as well as young defenseman Scott Morrow. Morrow saw some time with Carolina and showed some promise. Now, he has a chance to compete for a top-four role.
New York does not have the strongest blueline. Their first pairing should be rather impressive. Free agent signing Vladislav Gavrikov is a good complement to Fox. Beyond this pairing, though, it's a wide-open competition for the remaining spots.
As things stand, Morrow is likely going to play on the bottom pair. The Rangers are quite happy with veteran defenseman Will Borgen. He came over through trade with the Seattle Kraken last season. And they signed him to a four-year contract extension during the year.
However, this is certainly not set in stone. If Morrow impresses, new head coach Mike Sullivan could move him up the lineup. His offense will allow him to see the ice. The defense is another matter, but if there's improvement, there's no reason Morrow can't play on the second pairing. There is work to be done, but expect Morrow to play a big role on Broadway this upcoming season.
Brett Berard should have full-time role
The Rangers brought up a few young players from AHL Hartford in 2024-25. One of these players was winger Brett Berard. The former fifth-round pick didn't see the ice a ton in the 35 games he played last season. However, he should have a role with this team in 2025-26.
New York's bottom six is open for competition. The third line could use a bit of scoring punch as it's currently constructed. Berard only averaged 10 minutes a game last year. But he was able to score six goals and 10 points in that time.
Those totals certainly aren't eye-popping. In saying this, it showed that he could produce with limited ice time. If the 22-year-old saw more of the ice with some consistency, it would put him in a position to truly make an impact. And he has the ability to carve out a scoring role with this team in 2025-26.
