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Similarities between Rangers’ Morrow, Iorio include long odds to make team
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- Similarities between Rangers’ Morrow, Iorio include long odds to make team
There are plenty of similarities between New York Rangers defensemen Scott Morrow and Vincent Iorio . That's even before you realize that neither is signed for 2026-27, with the start of training camp roughly one month away.
Since the Rangers extended qualifying offers to each player back in late June, getting Morrow and Iorio under contract by September shouldn't be an issue. But it's worth noting that neither defenseman accepted his qualifying offer yet nor successfully negotiated a bridge deal after completing his entry-level contract.
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Both Morrow and Iorio are 23 years old and turn 24 in November. Each is a right-shot defensemen, selected in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, who put up good numbers as amateur players and had success in the minor leagues. The Rangers acquired each last season, first landing Morrow from the Carolina Hurricanes in the K'Andre Miller trade July 1, 2025. They claimed Iorio off waivers from the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 31.
Morrow, a Connecticut native and NCAA star at UMass, was the No. 40 overall pick in 2021 by the Hurricanes. He had six assists in 29 games with the Rangers last season, and has 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) in 45 NHL games with the two teams.
Though his upside is considered greater than that of Iorio, Morrow's initial run on Broadway wasn't a smash hit. Even when top-pair right-shot defenseman Adam Fox missed 27 games during two extended injury absences last season, Morrow struggled to keep a spot in the Rangers lineup.
Worse, the offensively-gifted blueliner failed to earn the trust of coach Mike Sullivan to quarterback the top power-play unit with Fox sidelined. That opportunity was in Morrow's wheelhouse and passed him by. Whether that's completely his fault, or blame should be shared with Sullivan, can be debated. At worst, it was a missed opportunity for Morrow, who also was so-so over 34 games with Hartford of the American Hockey League (19 points; five goals, 14 assists) after being an AHL All-Star with the Chicago Wolves in 2024-25.
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Iorio was the No. 55 overall selection in 2021 by the Washington Capitals. He was twice claimed off waivers last season, first by the Sharks on Oct. 16 and then by the Rangers three months later. Iorio had three assists in 27 games, none in six contests with the Rangers. He has four assists in 36 NHL games, and helped Hershey of the AHL win back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024.
Two weeks younger than Morrow, Iorio stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 220 pounds, about two inches taller and 10 pounds heavier than his Rangers teammate.
Scott Morrow, Vincent Iorio face uphill climbs to land spot on Rangers roster
Assuming each player signs before training camp, Morrow and Iorio face stiff competition to land a spot on New York's opening-night roster. The Rangers likely will carry seven defensemen, and five of those spots are taken by lineup regulars Fox, Vladislav Gavrikov, Marcus Pettersson , Sean Durzi , and Braden Schneider .
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Since the Rangers didn't trade Schneider this offseason, instead signing him to a one-year, $5.5 million contract , the top-three spots on the right side are filled. That leaves Morrow and Iorio in a serious battle to be the extra (seventh) defenseman. And that battle isn't just between them.
If 2026 first-round pick Alberts Smits cracks the opening-night lineup, that leaves left-shot defensemen Matthew Robertson and Urho Vaakanainen in the mix to be the extra defender. Each has more NHL experience than the two righties.
Robertson, a lineup fixture as a rookie last season, likely opens as the third-pair left-shot defenseman if Smits doesn't win a job in training camp, though rookie Drew Fortescue will get a look too. Either way, Vaakanainen, who's 27 and in the final season of a contract worth $1.55 million annually , is the most logical choice to be the seventh d-man.
Vincent Iorio — Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
So, where does that leave Morrow and Iorio? Unless the Rangers keep eight defensemen — highly unlikely — Morrow and Iorio are ticketed for Hartford. The rub here is that each requires waivers to be sent down to the minors. So, a September trade isn't out of the question if the Rangers fear losing one or both on a waiver claim.
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It should be noted that Robertson and Vaakanainen also are not waivers exempt. Smits and Fortescue don't require waivers in order to be assigned to Hartford.
From a team point of view, the Rangers are best served if Morrow, most definitely, and Iorio clear waivers and play substantial minutes in the AHL with Smits and Fortescue, and developing young forwards Liam Greentree, Cole Beaudoin, Nathan Aspinall, Jacob Battaglia, and others.
First things first: get those contracts signed, then let the competition play out.
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