2025 Rangers Season Previews: Scott Morrow
A fresh face with playoff experience already under his belt, Scott Morrow could be a difference-maker on the Rangers’ defense—if his development is handled right.
This article is part of an ongoing series of Rangers Season Previews, taking a close look at what we can, and should, expect from each member of the 2025-26 New York Rangers. To read other articles in this series, go here.
One of the newer faces that will head into training camp with the New York Rangers this season, Scott Morrow was a part of another big Rangers trade this summer, sending K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes. It was heavily speculated that Miller was either going to be traded or potentially signed to an offer sheet, and the result landed somewhere in the middle. Instead of signing him to an offer sheet like the Hurricanes planned to, they worked out a sign-and-trade with the Rangers, which honestly benefited them more. Instead of just draft picks, the Rangers also got Carolina’s former 40th overall draft pick in 2021, right-handed defenseman Scott Morrow.
Previous Performance
Following his junior year at UMass-Amherst, Morrow made his NHL debut in two games with the Carolina Hurricanes at the end of the 2023-24 season. Across his three NCAA years, Morrow averaged just over 31 points a season and became a top contributor with the Minutemen. Last year became his first full season of professional hockey, spending most of which with the Chicago Wolves in the AHL. In 54 games there, Morrow put up a total of 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points, which is fairly impressive for a rookie defenseman. He would also spend 14 games at the NHL level with the Carolina Hurricanes, collecting five assists along with his first career NHL goal for six more points.
On paper, that’s an incredibly successful rookie season for a former second round draft pick. And to top it off, he got some Stanley Cup playoff experience, suiting up for five games with the Hurricanes during their playoff run this past spring. That comes as an added bonus for the Rangers as they look to get back into the playoff picture themselves. Given his track record, there is a fair amount of evidence that Morrow could be capable of making the jump to a full time NHL player. There is certainly opportunity for him to earn that out of camp with the Rangers given the uncertainties on their blue line.
Expectations
I’d say the expectations for Morrow could vary depending on perspective. From his point of view, you have to think the expectation is for him to make the team out of camp and spend the majority of the season, if not the entire season, in the NHL with the Rangers. This is a 22-year old defenseman coming off a campaign where he not only spent an extended amount of time in the NHL, but saw games in the Stanley Cup playoffs. If a team like the Carolina Hurricanes can trust him in the postseason, even if injuries kind of forced them into that situation, he should be more than capable of playing third pair regular season minutes with the Rangers for a full season.
As far as what the Rangers are expecting for Morrow, it's reasonable to suggest that they're hopeful he can make the team out of camp, but aren't necessarily counting on it. Realistically, Carson Soucy could pair up with Will Borgen on the second pair, pushing Braden Schneider down to the third with Urho Vaakanainen and Matthew Robertson as the extra. Those aren't very inspiring defense pairs by any stretch of the imagination, but if they don't feel he's fully ready to be a full time NHL player, I don't see them forcing him to get there.
That being said, as long as Morrow shows some promise in camp, you have to think the Rangers will at least give him the first 9-15 games of the season to show what he can do. Against all odds, they gave Victor Mancini that opportunity last season and Morrow certainly comes with a higher stock value than Mancini did. In the event that Morrow thrives in the early parts of the season, I'd imagine he sticks around in the NHL, but if at any point he begins to struggle or doesn't make the team out of camp to begin with, an extended run in Hartford shouldn't be viewed as a bad thing.
We all know the Rangers haven't handled development all that well in the past, so it's imperative that they put a player like Scott Morrow in the best possible position to succeed. If that's on the team's bottom defensive pair, perhaps even getting an opportunity to quarterback the second power play unit, then fantastic. If it involves not making the team out of camp and spending some time in the AHL as a top defenseman to continue his development, it shouldn't be viewed as the worst thing in the world for anyone involved.
Predictions
68 GP—4 G—12 A—16 PTS
While some stints in the AHL might be necessary at times, I do expect Morrow to make the team out of camp and spend more time with the Rangers than Hartford throughout the season. Right now, looking at the Rangers depth chart, it’s hard not to view him as one of their seven best defensemen. Barring an outstanding showing from either Urho Vaakanainen or Matthew Roberston, it makes sense for Morrow to start on the right side of the third pair with one of Vaakanainen or Carson Soucy, leaving Schneider on the left side of Borgen.
As long as Morrow doesn’t seriously struggle in those first 15 games of the season, he should have a place on the nightly lineup or at the very least, find himself in a rotation with Urho Vaakanainen and maybe even Carson Soucy. As always, there’s also injuries to factor into the equation which will surely give Morrow more opportunity throughout the season, even if starting the year off in Hartford.
This is a young, talented player that the Rangers and fans alike should be super excited about. Definitely keep an eye on Morrow once preseason kicks off.
