Why Rangers should have some concern about worrisome metrics for defensemen

Tom Castro argues that the New York Rangers should be concerned about negative possession metrics among their defensemen despite a strong 7-3-1 start to the 2026-27 season. Through 11 games, the Rangers rank fourth in the NHL with 2.18 goals allowed per game, but underlying numbers show all three defensive pairings have struggled to control play at 5-on-5.

Castro highlights that the pairings of Sean Durzi with Marcus Pettersson and Alberts Smits with Braden Schneider hold poor expected goal shares below 43 percent. He suggests strong forward support and forechecking under coach Mike Sullivan are masking these blue-line deficiencies, warning that relying on unproven goalie Dylan Garand could become unsustainable if pairings are not adjusted.