Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesThere was a lot of noise surrounding Adam Fox’s comments last week regarding his future with the New York Rangers.
Upon his return to the lineup last week on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, Fox was asked if he wants to stick around with the Rangers through a retool, and his noncommittal answer raised some eyebrows.
“I'm just trying to focus on this year right now and play each game,” Fox said. “That's really all I could do right now. That’s a conversation for when we’re done playing.”
After the Rangers’ Monday night 5-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Fox was given the opportunity to clarify his previous statement about his future.
However, he decided to go down a similar path, answering the question vaguely while giving no reassurances about where his head is at this season.
“Kind of the same,” Fox said of whether he had anything to add to his previous comments about his future. “We’re just trying to focus on games, myself included. Like you said, there's a lot going on, the deadline and everything. But I think all anyone can do right now is just take it day by day and try to bring a good effort, trying to bring a good attitude and obviously, go from there.”
According to Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic, multiple meetings have taken place between Fox and Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury in recent weeks.
Mercogliano reports that Fox wants to see how Drury handles the coming months and assess the state of the roster this summer before making a full-throated commitment to stick it out with the Blueshirts.
The 27-year-old defenseman holds a full no-movement clause through next season. Over the final two years of Fox’s contract, which expires in 2029, he’ll have a 16-team no-trade list.
There has been no immediate speculation that the Rangers are looking to entertain offers for Fox before the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.