Will Borgen’s value to the New York Rangers should not go unnoticed.
The Rangers traded for Borgen in a deal that included Kaapo Kakko during the 2024-25 season, and he made an immediate impact.
The biggest Achilles heel for New York was their defense, and while Borgen didn't solve all of their problems, he added much-needed defensive stability and helped the team improve in that category.
The 28-year-old filled in a crucial top-four role, and it didn’t take long for the Rangers to give him a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension.
That’s a sizable commitment to give to any player, so it’s safe to say that the Rangers have big plans for Borgen.
Going into this upcoming season, the expectation is that Borgen will continue to play a top-four role with the possibility of being paired alongside Braden Schneider, who may move to the left side if Mike Sullivan feels that’s the right course of action.
Borgen seemed to elevate K’Andre Miller’s game when they were paired together, and he could do the same for an already ascending Schneider.
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This past season, Borgen averaged 18:18 minutes in 51 games for the Rangers, which should remain the same this upcoming season.
Expect Borgen to continue playing a substantial role.