There were many players on the 2025-26 New York Rangers who were pretty pedestrian and uninspiring, and that descriptor fits Will Borgen quite well. In fact, you could say that sums up his career to date, and that isn't meant to be an insult.
Most good third-pair defenders are exactly that, and the minute they stand out, it means something has gone horribly wrong. In the case of Borgen and the Rangers, it isn't his fault he was paid to be a difference-maker in the top four, and even though the rising salary cap makes his AAV pretty inconsequential, his overall signing is looking like a bit of an own-goal mistake.
Expectations
The Rangers entered the season hoping Borgen would finally grow into the five-year, $20.5 million extension he signed just 17 games into his tenure on Broadway. The front office bet $4.1M a year that his physical, safe style would anchor the top four. Instead, they’ve found themselves with a player whose ceiling is firmly established on the bottom pair, creating a financial inefficiency on a team that needs to think about the future as they look to bring in stars and difference makers.
Performance
Looking at the numbers, Borgen is proving to be remarkably consistent. which is essentially a bit of a problem for the Rangers. In 75 games this season, he posted five goals and 15 points. While that’s a career-high in goals, it’s a production downgrade from the 13 points he tallied in just 51 games the year prior.
Analytically, Borgen remains a fringe defender in a top-four sweater. He finished the year with a 50.17 GF%, 45.17 CF%, and 47.49 xGF% per Evolving-Hockey. These aren't disastrous numbers, but they are undeniably third-pair metrics. On a rebuilding team that needs dynamic puck movers to support the transition, Borgen’s inability to drive play has made him a liability to the Rangers' long-term vision.
One of his biggest strengths in 2024-25 also vanished this season. He was in the 85th percentile, per NHL EDGE, in max skating speed at 22.63 miles per hour. In 2025-26, Borgen dropped 22.30 miles per hour which moves him into the 75th percentile. This isn't the type of thing that gets better with age, and is worth keeping an eye on.
Grade: D+
Where do they go from here?
Borgen is currently an immovable object until July 1st, as he holds a full no-trade clause. That changes to a 15-team no-trade clause next season, but for a contract that runs through 2030, the Rangers might be forced to stay married to a player who doesn't fit the puck moving identity Mike Sullivan is chasing. At nearly 30 years old, Borgen isn't going to suddenly find another gear, and that hurts the team in trade negotiations.