The New York Rangers are making further improvements to their defensive corps, signing prospect Matthew Robertson to a one-year contract, the team announced in a press release.
Rangers sign Matthew Robertson to a one-year contract
The Rangers released a statement this morning announcing that they had signed Robertson to a one-year deal. The Blueshirts’ 2019 second-round draft pick has spent the majority of his professional career in the AHL as a member of the Rangers’ affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.
The 23-year-old appeared in 68 games for the Wolf Pack last season, totaling four goals and 17 assists for 21 points and recording a -11 rating. Robertson is a 6-foot-4, 193-pound left-handed defenseman who has been described as a quick and smart defenseman. He’s been developing in Hartford for the past three seasons and the Rangers feel like he could be ready to take that next step in 2024.
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Will Robertson become a focal point of the Rangers’ defense?
Heading into this season, Robertson has yet to make his NHL debut. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2022-23, and while he improved offensively last year, his defensive skills weren’t good enough to earn him a chance up with the Blueshirts.
At this point, it’s unclear when Robertson will be called up to New York — if at all. The Blueshirts’ defensive corps is mostly signed for the foreseeable future, and Zac Jones takes priority over Robertson during any potential injury or trade.
If Robertson were to ever become a key asset of the Rangers’ defense, it wouldn’t be for at least a few years- which would mean earning another contract after this one-year deal expires. For now, Robertson must either get comfortable playing in Hartford, or begin to look for larger opportunities with other organizations down the road.
