The New York Rangers have gotten off to a better start to the season than they did last year, but there is still work to be done for the team. Due to some struggles of late, the team appears to be looking to shake some things up. 

While the Rangers got off to a hot start, they have since cooled and have a record of 7-6-1 through 14 games. New York is in a better spot than they were last season, especially at home, but the injury to Igor Shesterkin was a major blow. 

Now, some of the moves and the decisions that the team made this offseason are under a bit more scrutiny with the team losing three straight games and five of the last six. 

Due to the team being on a bit of a skid, switching some things up makes sense. During the loss to the Los Angeles Kings, New York started to shake things up a bit. On the blueline, the bottom two pairs saw the units flip, with Alberts Smits going to play alongside Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson going to play with Braden Schneider. 

As the fifth overall pick from the 2026 NHL Draft and a player the Rangers are high on for the future, Smits’ development this season is key, and perhaps playing him with Durzi makes sense.  

Rangers Should Consider Alberts Smits on Second Pair

While New York is certainly trying to win games this year and be a contender, it is worth noting that this is still the first year of their retool. The Rangers were never going to be Stanley Cup contenders after the moves that they made in the offseason to improve. 

However, while there is still work to be done, a big part of that is going to be the development of young players. Smits will be one of the most important players for the team in that regard as their Top 5 pick from this past summer. 

While Smits was able to make the team fairly easily, it appeared he has been on the third pair alongside Braden Schneider. There has been a lot of talk about Schneider and his future in New York and also about whether he should be in the lineup every night. 

For New York, they have to think about how to develop Smits the best way they can, and perhaps getting some more ice time with Durzi will help with that. Smits is averaging just under 15 minutes per game and has yet to record a point. That is the least amount among the defensemen, and a move up to the second pair could help his development. 

Overall, while the team doesn’t want to put too much on his plate, they will have to push him a bit also. Durzi is a very solid player and a proven second-pair defenseman in the league. If the team is hoping to get some more from Smits, that is a pairing that makes sense.