Rangers coach lauds ‘much-improved puck-moving’ on D in preseason loss

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Rangers coach lauds ‘much-improved puck-moving’ on D in preseason loss

Rangers coach lauds 'much-improved puck-moving' on D in preseason loss — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lou Orlando · Forever Blueshirts

Wed, Sep 23, 2026 ·

6 min read

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If their first preseason game and coach Mike Sullivan's reaction are any indication, the New York Rangers ' defense corps should have a markedly different feel in 2026-27.

Sullivan identified puck-moving defensemen as a top offseason need after the Blueshirts finished last in the Eastern Conference and 30th in the overall standings in 2025-26. General manager Chris Drury delivered, acquiring Sean Durzi from the Utah Mammoth and Marcus Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks in a pair of July 1 trades.

The Garden faithful got their first glimpse of the new defense duo in New York's preseason home opener Tuesday night. The Rangers blew a three-goal lead and lost 4-3 to the New York Islanders , but Sullivan came away impressed with his new No. 2 pairing on the blue line.

NHL: Preseason-New York Islanders at New York Rangers — Wendell Cruz-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I think the biggest thing that jumps out to me is our ability to move the puck is much improved," Sullivan told reporters postgame .

The bar for improvement is low. Outside of Adam Fox , there wasn't much playmaking talent on New York's back end in 2025-26. Fox was brilliant when healthy, playing at just shy of a point-per-game pace, but health wasn't on his side. The 2021 Norris Trophy winner missed 27 games across two different stints on long-term injured reserve, and the Rangers struggled mightily in his absence.

Durzi and Pettersson, likely to be the second pairing, should help pick up the slack behind Fox and partner Vladislav Gavrikov.

"I think 'Durz' is a guy — he's mobile. He gets back to pucks. He can make that first pass, make the outward pass. He has good puck skills," Sullivan explained. "Marcus is big and long. He's hard to play against. But Marcus sees the game pretty well, and he has the ability to move the puck also."

Sullivan knows Pettersson well, having coached the Swedish defenseman with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2018-25. Pettersson reached the 20-assist mark three times in that span, including a career-best 30-point season in 2023-24.

Injuries have plagued Durzi during his five-year NHL career, but the 27-year-old is an effective playmaker when healthy, capable of creating offense with his stick and his legs.

Durzi and Pettersson began training camp on the second pair and remained together during their 2026 preseason debut against the Islanders. Judging by Sullivan's reaction, he has no intention of breaking up his new No. 2 pairing.

"We've talked a handful of times about that particular pair and just being real encouraged with their ability to move the puck, and helping us get out of our end a little cleaner," Sullivan said. "Also on the offensive blue line, just having the vision to see plays that are there. I think adding those two guys to our defense core just has really improved our ability to move the puck from the blue line."

Really great play here from Durzi. #NYR pic.twitter.com/VnyL6CoPYe

— Snark Messier (@SnarkMessier) September 23, 2026

Durzi played a team-high 23:32 on Tuesday, led all Rangers skaters with a plus-2 rating and had the secondary assist on Cole Beaudoin's game-opening score at 8:23 of the first period. He also kept pace with Matthew Schaefer in the second period, knocking the Islanders' star defenseman off the puck on a potential breakaway chance. Pettersson blocked two shots and finished plus-1 in 21:50.

Durzi and Pettersson forging quick connection on 2nd defense pair

A condensed NHL training camp doesn't give Durzi and Pettersson much time to get used to playing together before the regular season begins against the Bruins in Boston on Sept. 29.

"It takes reps learning somebody's tendencies out there and everything," Pettersson said Tuesday ahead of the Rangers' preseason contest against the Islanders. "Especially with the shortened camp as well, you've got to make sure you're sharp every day."

"Right now it's just focusing on how we can become better and be ready for game one," Durzi noted.

"I think a big part of this is kind of just finding out what my teammates like, where they like pucks, where they're going to be. It's 'how do we play for each other on the ice?' It's 'where do you want me to be?' Things like that. It's the stuff you can only get from game reps. Only two preseason games to find out, so it's going to be a lot of fun to kind of get out there and go to war with them."

NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins at Vancouver Canucks — Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The new collective bargaining agreement includes a rule that limits all players with at least 100 NHL games played to no more than two preseason games. Durzi and Pettersson are eligible to play in only one of New York's two remaining contests, against the New Jersey Devils at MSG on Thursday and Friday's rematch against the Islanders at UBS Arena.

They remain eagerly optimistic about their new partnership despite the limited game time in the preseason.

"It's gonna be a lot of fun. I think we've had some good talks. I feel comfortable with him," Pettersson said. "Our communication has been really good so far."

It helps that the duo profiles as a natural pairing on paper. Each is a capable puck-mover, and Pettersson's steady defensive game should give Durzi the cushion to play up in the offensive zone when the game allows.

"He's a tremendous skater," Pettersson said. "I try to give him as much time and as much puck as possible. He's an amazing talent."

Durzi similarly heaped praise on his new partner.

"He's a pretty good defender. His puck-moving abilities might be underestimated a little bit. He's a pretty good puck mover, and for myself, if he can get me the puck in pretty good situations, I'll be happy with that. And I mean, what he does all over the ice, how he makes his teammates better — it's a small sample size, but you could see how he does that and how he's continued to do that for his whole career. I think we're really excited."

If Pettersson and Durzi are on the same page out the gate to complement the Fox-Gavrikov pairing, the Blueshirts should have a solid foundation on the back end.

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