The New York Rangers traded top-four defenseman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and Scott Morrow. The newly acquired 22-year-old defenseman has the talent to be successful in the NHL and he could quickly become a key player for New York.
Morrow’s Rise as a Prospect
The Hurricanes drafted Morrow in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft. He quickly proved to be a star for UMass-Amherst and finished with 13 goals and 20 assists in 37 games as a freshman during the 2021-22 season. He was confident with the puck and looked to join the rush to create offense. He continued his strong offensive play as a sophomore in 2022-23, finishing with nine goals and 22 assists in 35 games. He also blocked 45 shots. He stayed in college for one more season and finished with six goals, 24 assists, and 35 blocked shots in 37 games in 2023-24.
At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Morrow possesses ideal size with a fairly long reach. He has a good shot, is shifty with the puck, and consistently beat defenders one-on-one while playing for UMass-Amherst. He had success on the power play and while he is known for his offense, he also has the tools to continue improving in the defensive zone.
After the conclusion of his junior season for UMass-Amherst, Morrow made his professional debut and played two games for the Hurricanes. He spent most of last season with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) and continued to put up impressive numbers, finishing with 13 goals and 26 assists in 52 games.
Morrow got called back up to the NHL late in the season and scored his first NHL goal in a 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on March 15. He did not get much ice time, but had one goal and five assists in 14 games. After a few injuries on defense for the Hurricanes in the postseason, he ended up in the lineup for all five games of their Eastern Conference Final matchup against the Florida Panthers, but he was held without a point and averaged just 10:29 in ice time per game.
The Rangers’ Situation on Defense
After struggling to find a partner for star blueliner Adam Fox last season, the Rangers signed dependable lefty Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-season, $49 million contract. However, it is unclear who will play on their second and third pairs. Morrow, Will Borgen, and Braden Schneider are righties and Carson Soucy, Urho Vaakanainen, and Matthew Robertson are lefties. Schneider played well on his off-side last season and could end up playing on the second pair alongside Borgen, who did a nice job on the second pair with Miller last season.
If Schneider and Borgen play together, that would create an opportunity for Morrow to play on the third pair, likely with Soucy or Vaakanainen. While Fox is a proven star, the Rangers do not have any other defensemen who can consistently produce offensively. Morrow could certainly help the team offensively, and he should be an option on the second power-play unit.
Last season, the Rangers did not get much offensive production from their defensemen besides Fox, and it put more pressure on him to produce. Miller ended up finishing second on the team in points by a defenseman with 27. If Morrow can make smart plays and avoid making major defensive mistakes, his offensive skill could make him a very valuable third-pair defenseman.
Morrow Can Help the Team in the Long Run
While Morrow is a candidate to make the opening-night lineup and help the Rangers this season, he can become a reliable defenseman for years to come. He has the size and skill to succeed in the NHL, and now the key for him will be to steadily improve and become a consistent player.
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