{"id":348370,"date":"2025-12-14T14:47:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T14:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/348370\/"},"modified":"2025-12-14T14:47:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T14:47:13","slug":"wed-like-to-see-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/348370\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We\u2019d like to see growth\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

New York Rangers News<\/a><\/p>\n

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Scott Morrow\u2019s<\/a> roller-coaster ride with the New York Rangers continues.<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old\u2019s season-long streak of five consecutive games played is expected to come to an end Saturday night, when the Rangers host the Montreal Canadiens<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Morrow was absent from New York\u2019s defense rotation at practice Friday, replaced by Urho Vaakanainen<\/a> on the bottom pair. Vaakanainen headed off the ice with the regulars after the morning skate Saturday, and Morrow stayed behind with the other projected scratch, forward Jonny Brodzinski.<\/a><\/p>\n

Coach Mike Sullivan declined to confirm the change, but all signs point to Morrow coming out of the lineup.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lineup will be game-time decisions, as you know,\u201d Sullivan said, adding, \u201c\u2018Vaaks\u2019 might get a look.\u201d<\/p>\n

Urho Vaakanainen is off with the #NYR<\/a> regulars and Scott Morrow is still on the ice, so it looks like the Finn will slot back in for the first time since Nov. 26.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) December 13, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Vaakanainen has been a healthy scratch for seven straight games; his last appearance was Nov. 26 in a 4-2 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes.<\/p>\n

Morrow manned New York\u2019s third pair alongside Matthew Robertson<\/a> for the past five games \u2014 an arduous stretch<\/a> when the Rangers were 2-1-2 with overtime losses at home against the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights.<\/p>\n

But after an uninspiring 3-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks<\/a> on Wednesday, Sullivan opted for a change on the bottom pair, inserting Vaakanainen back into the lineup and shifting Robertson to his off (right) side.<\/p>\n

Rangers coach emphasizes \u2018details\u2019 in Scott Morrow assessment<\/p>\n

\"NHL:Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Morrow was an AHL All-Star last season after putting up 13 goals and 39 points in 52 games with the Chicago Wolves. He also scored one goal and finished with six points in 14 NHL regular-season games<\/a> with the Hurricanes, who took him in the second round (No. 40 overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.<\/p>\n

In addition, Morrow played five games during the 2025 Eastern Conference Final, drawing into the lineup after Jalen Chatfield sustained an injury.<\/p>\n

New York acquired Morrow from Carolina on July 1; he was the headliner in the package the Blueshirts received for defenseman K\u2019Andre Miller. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as my assessment of what he\u2019s brought, I think there\u2019s been some good, and then there\u2019s been moments where we\u2019d like to see growth,\u201d Sullivan explained Saturday<\/a>. \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s atypical of any young player, especially a young defenseman.\u201d<\/p>\n

The offense-minded blueliner struggled to replicate his production from last season. Morrow has three points (one goal, two assists) in 12 AHL games with the Hartford Wolf Pack \u2014 and in nine games with the Rangers, he has one point, a primary assist on an empty-net goal by Alexis Lafreniere<\/a> against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 28.<\/p>\n

Still, Sullivan remains complimentary of his puck skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe like his ability to move the puck. We think he sees it pretty well,\u201d the coach said. \u201cHe\u2019s pretty good along that offensive blue line. He has an ability to get shots through. He\u2019s good at finding sticks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NHL:John Jones-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Sullivan singled out a play on Wednesday against the Blackhawks when Morrow found captain J.T. Miller<\/a> in the slot for a deflection that hit the post.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally good look, good vision, good awareness along the blue line by Scotty,\u201d Sullivan said \u201cHe changes his angle to open up that opportunity to create that play \u2014 that\u2019s what we like about his game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those qualities should make Morrow a natural fit on New York\u2019s power play, although Sullivan has been reluctant to thrust the 23-year-old into such an important role with Adam Fox<\/a> sidelined. Morrow got a chance to quarterback the top unit on Wednesday but failed to spark New York\u2019s scuffling power play<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"NHL:David Banks-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Now he finds himself out of the lineup entirely.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other element of it is making decisions with conviction and having good reads, getting inside the dots when he\u2019s coming off the offensive blue line, and defending the rush aggressively,\u201d Sullivan explained. \u201cHis play at the net front in our own end, killing plays in the D-zone, in the corners. Just closing, taking away time and space, going stick to puck, when to have one hand on your stick or two hands on your stick \u2014 stick details are such an important element of being a good defender in today\u2019s game.\u201d<\/p>\n

That laundry list of areas needing improvement is a big part of the reason Morrow has yet to earn Sullivan\u2019s complete trust.<\/p>\n

And the underlying metrics don\u2019t reflect kindly on him.<\/p>\n

Morrow has a 20 percent goal share through nine games (one goal for, four goals allowed). His 42.68 expected-goals-for percentage, per Natural Stat Trick<\/a>, is last among Blueshirts\u2019 defenders and fourth-worst of any Rangers skater this season.<\/p>\n

On Hockey Stat Cards<\/a>, Morrow\u2019s -0.6 defensive net rating is the worst on the team. His -2.4 net rating is second-worst, trailing only Braden Schneider<\/a> (-2.8).<\/p>\n

\u201cThose are all the things that we\u2019re working with him about,\u201d Sullivan added. \u201cWe love his enthusiasm for the game. He\u2019s a great kid, he loves hockey, he\u2019s invested and we love that aspect of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rangers\u2019 defensive corps suffering without Adam Fox<\/p>\n

\"NHL:Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The absence of Fox further complicates matters. The Rangers\u2019 top defenseman was placed on long-term injured reserve after sustaining an upper-body injury on Nov. 29 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.<\/p>\n

At the time of his injury, New York was limiting opponents to the fewest high-danger chances per 60 minutes (9.09) and the fourth-fewest expected goals allowed per 60 (2.35) at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick<\/a>. Both metrics are down dramatically in five games without Fox.<\/p>\n

That could also factor into the timing of Morrow\u2019s scratching.<\/p>\n

Vaakanainen\u2019s 46.65 percent expected goal share doesn\u2019t make the 26-year-old a vast improvement over Morrow. But the Finnish defenseman has more than 200 games of NHL experience and began the season in the top six. Scratching the rookie indicates Sullivan favors Vaakanainen\u2019s experience and play in the defensive zone over Morrow\u2019s potential.<\/p>\n

\"NHL:David Kirouac-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

That said, the move leaves New York without much skill on its back end.<\/p>\n

Vladislav Gavrikov<\/a> and Carson Soucy<\/a> are pleasant offensive contributors, but neither comes close to replicating the playmaking Fox delivers on a game-by-game basis. Morrow\u2019s offensive profile aligns closest to the 2021 Norris Trophy winner \u2014 albeit to a much lesser degree. There\u2019s simply no replacing a dynamic defenseman like Fox, as evidenced by a power play that\u2019s 0-for-11 without him.<\/p>\n

In theory, Morrow\u2019s development could benefit from assuming some of Fox\u2019s responsibilities. But he\u2019ll need to tighten up his defensive play to let his offensive skills shine through.<\/p>\n

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\t\tLou Orlando is an alum of Fordham University, where he covered the New York Rangers for three seasons as … More about Lou Orlando<\/a><\/p>\n

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