After the 2025-26 season ended, both Mike Sullivan and Chris Drury emphasized the New York Rangers’ need to add a puck-moving defenseman.
They did so by acquiring Sean Durzi from the Utah Mammoth on July 1 in a trade centered on Vincent Trocheck.
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Between his time with the Los Angeles Kings and the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Mammoth, Durzi has been known for his puck-moving abilities and takes pride in that part of his game.
“I take pride in giving a flat pass, on the tape, on time,” Durzi emphasised. “I know when that is. The forward knows when that is, and that’s something that comes with getting used to the guys… It’s about utilizing my puck-moving ability within our system, and that’s the important thing.”
A key factor in the Rangers going out and acquiring Durzi had to do with his skating skills and high offensive instincts for a blueliner.
Because of Durzi’s mobility, Sullivan expects to utilize him in a multitude of different ways, and envisions him playing a lot of minutes.
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“I think he has good offensive instincts, he can pass the puck, we knew that when we got him,” Sullivan said of Durzi. “I think that was one of the things that attracted us to him. He’s a real competitive guy as well. I’ve learned that in the short time that we’ve been together. I think he’s going to help us five-on-five offensively, he’s going to help us with breakouts, getting out of our endzone clearer. I think he’s going to help us with his skating ability, joining the rush. He’s in great shape. I can tell in the first three days, he’s a guy that can eat minutes.”
“As far as how we use him on special teams, he’s a guy who is very capable on a power play. And I think with his competitiveness, he’s got a good stick and mobility, I can see him being a big part of the penalty kill as well.”
Durzi averaged the most time on ice of his career during the 2023-24 season with the Coyotes when he played 22:43 minutes per game, leading all Coyotes players.
During that season, Durzi served as the team’s No. 1 defenseman on the power play, so while Fox will preside over that spot with the Rangers, Durzi is in a prime position to earn a role on the second power-play unit.
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The 27-year-old defenseman emphasized that he feels comfortable playing on both phases of special teams.
“I played it (the power play) my whole career in the NHL,” Durzi said. “I take pride in special teams, power play and PK. If I’m needed there, blocking shots has been a strong suit of mine. Whatever the situation is, if I’m playing power play, if I’m playing PK, I’m here to you know do it to the best of my ability.”
Over the first three days of training camp, Durzi has been paired with Marcus Pettersson, who was also acquired by the Rangers over the summer.
Durzi and Pettersson will likely make up the Rangers’ second defensive pairing to kick off the season, as Sullivan has taken an extensive look at them playing alongside each other at training camp.
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“I think they’ve been one of the better pairs that we’ve had together out there,” Sullivan said. “They seem to complement each other really well. They defend well, they made some plays, they made some outlet plays. They are not just out the glass and out guys I think just their ability to move the puck has been evident and on display for the first few days here.
“We were going to explore it and see what it looked like, and so far we’ve liked what we’ve seen. I would anticipate them getting some looks in these exhibition games and then we’ll make decisions.”
Last season, the Rangers were lacking a reliable second pairing behind Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov, but the duo of Durzi and Pettersson provides an option to take pressure off of the team’s top pairing.
Durzi is pleased with the chemistry he’s been able to build with Pettersson so far in a short sample size.
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“It’s been awesome,” Durzi said of playing with Pettersson. “I think the most important thing is, after every shift out here and every rep in practice, we’re talking about it. ‘What do you think about that play? I should be here. I like the puck to be in that area.’ Just questions about the D-zone and the neutral zone, things like that. It’s been great to have him. He’s made the transition that much easier.”
Since being drafted in 2018, Durzi has been traded three separate times, so he’s grown accustomed to the business side of hockey.
After being able to decompress in the couple of months since being traded to New York, Durzi expressed his excitement to embark on this next chapter with the Rangers.
“Hockey-wise, I’m excited. There’s not much more you can ask for: original six team, a lot of history,” Durzi said. “Guys play with their hearts on their sleeves when you play for the Rangers, and that’s what I love to do. I’m pumped to be here. I’m focused and ready to go.”
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