Rangers’ Adam Fox activated off LTIR, expected to return vs. Capitals
The New York Rangers are expected to get a big boost to their lineup, as defenseman Adam Fox has been activated off of long-term injured reserve and is set to return on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals.
Looks like Adam Fox is making his return this afternoon. Sad to see Morrow get sent down.
UPDATE: Scott Morrow has been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Fox had missed the last 14 games with an upper-body injury which he sustained during a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 29th when his arm was awkwardly crushed into the boards from a hit. The Rangers went 6-5-3 during Fox’s absence.
Fox is expected to slot back on the Rangers’ top pair alongside his usual defense partner in Vladislav Gavrikov with his return to the lineup. The duo has outscored their opposition 16-11 while sporting a 59.14% 5v5 expected goal share in 449:34 of ice time this season. Fox will also return to the top power play unit with Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere.
Fox has been performing at his usual level this season with three goals and 23 assists for 26 points in 27 games. He’s also been one of the best defensive defensemen this season with a -0.143 5v5 regularized adjusted plus-minus xGA per 60 minutes which ranks 13th among defensemen this season.
Despite how well Fox has played this season, the injury may have affected his chances at making the United States’ Olympic team, as current reports indicate he has not made the roster. Even with a poor showing at 4 Nations Face-Off last season, he remains one of the best defensemen in the league and should have been a strong consideration for the team.
To make room on the roster for Fox, the Rangers have also sent defenseman Scott Morrow down to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Morrow has three assists in 16 games with the Rangers this season, as well as one goal and two assists for three points in 12 games with the Wolfpack.
The Rangers currently sit in sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 19-17-5 record, and are two points behind the Florida Panthers for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. New York will look to end 2025 on a high note when they visit the Capitals on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. EST.