As if the New York Rangers haven’t done enough to upset their fans in the 2025–26 NHL season, the latest decision on rookie Drew Fortescue might be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Fortescue served as a healthy scratch during the Rangers’ 2-0 defeat against the Dallas Stars, and the move that seemed meaningless at first has now been confirmed to have a lot more meaning behind it. After all, it was all a maneuver for the Blueshirts to save up on what should be loose change for an NHL organization.
As reported by Mollie Walker of the New York Post, Fortescue’s absence during the visit to Dallas means he won’t reach 10 games played in the 2025–26 NHL campaign. Based on his contract bonuses, the rookie would’ve earned an $80,000 bonus had he played 10 games.
Fortescue has appeared in seven games so far this year, and with only two games left on New York’s schedule, he can only reach the nine-game total. For any player, $80,000 can make a big difference—especially to an NHL rookie signed to a $923,333 contract. For Fortescue, the bonus he’ll now miss out on would translate to roughly 8.6% of his total earnings for the year.
Drew Fortescue, 90th overall pick by the New York Rangers in 2023
Bad look on the NY Rangers
With nothing left to play for, making such a decision is just a tough look for the Rangers, who have been in the eye of the storm all season long. Most times, fans are in favor of rebuilding teams making money-saving decisions. That is often the case when cutting, trading, or moving on from players signed to big contracts and cap hits. For an NHL organization, saving $80,000 really doesn’t move the needle.
According to Forbes, the Rangers are valued at $4 billion (December 2025)—the second-most in the league, behind the Toronto Maple Leafs. No other two clubs are above the $4 billion mark. Thus, $80,000 should be quite meaningless. Especially when it comes to rewarding a rookie on a struggling team that has made developing its prospects a priority.
If the Rangers are serious about giving their youngsters crucial learning opportunities on the ice, then why did they leave Fortescue out of the lineup with no injury designation whatsoever?
Rangers’ decision makes them no friends
Needless to say, fans didn’t love the decision. Once again, Chris Drury was put on the spot with harsh criticism of his antics, and Mike Sullivan didn’t escape the critics, either. There is a time and a place for everything, and the Blueshirts’ front office and coaching staff definitely didn’t read the room right before healthy scratching Fortescue.
Moreover, this might be a decision that Fortescue and his agent remember when—and if—the time comes for them to sit down and talk numbers on a contract extension. It looks like New York has done itself more harm than good yet again. Drury and company were penny wise, pound foolish. That mindset might be the one that could come back to haunt him in the long run.
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