New York Rangers
Could Adam Fox’s Slide Make Him Tradeable for the Rangers?
Once seen as the Rangers’ cornerstone, Adam Fox’s slide down the NHL’s top defensemen list raises new questions trade possibilities.
Going into the 2025–26 season, Adam Fox’s name doesn’t carry quite the same weight it once did. Once considered among the NHL’s very best blueliners, Fox now sits 16th on NHL Network’s “Top 20 Defensemen Right Now” list — a steep drop from No. 2 in 2023 and No. 8 a year ago.
That decline comes on the heels of an injury-hit 2023–24 season and a regression in both his individual play and the Rangers’ overall performance last year. The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament didn’t help his cause, as Scott Wheeler of Fox writes, “The 4 Nations Face-Off turned Adam Fox into the most underrated player in the NHL.”
What does the Fox say? 🦊
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 13, 2025
How about another year in the top 20 for Adam Fox!@NYRangers | #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/79kMYARUtL
Despite the recent pivot among experts who value top defensemen, Fox still put up respectable numbers — 10 goals, 51 assists, and 61 points in 74 games while averaging 23:15 a night. But for a 27-year-old expected to be entering his prime, the results have people asking what’s going on?
What Do the Rangers Still Think of Adam Fox?
The question now is whether Fox’s slide makes him more of a tradeable piece than an untouchable cornerstone. On one hand, his ice time, power-play usage, and ability to transition the puck remain invaluable to New York. On the other, leadership concerns and inconsistency suggest his standing within the organization is less secure than once thought.
Stan Fischler of the Hockey News wrote on August 6 that a scout said there are areas in Fox’s game that need fixing. He added, “Leadership? Forget about it. He’s obviously is not considered character-strong enough a personality, otherwise management would have named him captain by now.”
The Rangers tried to ease Fox’s workload this offseason by signing Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million deal, but the pressure remains squarely on Fox to regain his Norris-level form. If he can’t, and if the Rangers continue to stumble, the conversation about moving him will only get louder — even if it feels unthinkable today.
His full no-move clause turns into a modified no-trade in two seasons and removing his $9.5 million cap hit (which another team would undoubtedly take on) would give the Rangers room to make other moves.
For now, as Fischler notes, Fox remains an enigma: a hometown star who forced his way to New York by stiffing the Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes, won the Norris Trophy in 2021, and seemed destined for greatness. But with his stock slipping, Rangers fans are left to wonder — is Adam Fox still the future of the franchise, or just one of its biggest trade chips?
Next: TSN Analyst Shoots Down Bold Canadiens-Ducks Trade Idea
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