January 14, 2025 | 11:54am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com
BORGEN FEELING AT HOME IN NEW YORK
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Will Borgen, defenceman
It is no secret the New York Rangers have struggled to play consistent winning hockey this season, but the team has much improved since the calendar flipped to 2025.
The Rangers are 4-1-1 so far this month and are performance at a much better pace than they did over the previous two months.
With a tall hill to climb, still, confidence is creeping back in their locker room, and defenceman Will Borgen has provided a steady presence on the blueline for a team in need of stability.
Borgen, acquired from the Kraken in a trade that saw Kaapo Kakko dealt to Seattle last month, has felt comfortable since joining the Rangers and that could lead to a contract extension for a player on an expiring deal.
“I think I got used to everything, used to the systems more now and now it’s kind of ingrained in me of what to do so I don’t have to think too much out there,” Borgen told the New York Post. “It’s been good, the team’s been playing well, so it makes it easy for me.”
The 28-year-old is in the final year of a two-year, $5.4 million contract and was considered a trade candidate for the Rangers, had they continued to freefall down the standings. But if the team continues to improve and Borgen maintains his steady performance, it could earn him a new deal with the Blueshirts.
“Really just being hard to play against,” teammate K’Andre Miller said of Borgen. “Doing a good job of playing a 200-foot game and being reliable. He’s been great so far.”
Borgen has picked up one goal and one assist in 11 games since joining the Rangers, and has two goals, two assists and 13 penalty minutes in 44 total games so far this season.