Matthew Robertson is the Rangers 2026 Masterton Trophy nominee, a nice end to his surprising season. Robertson had been an afterthought by many, including myself, heading into the season opener. By many accounts, he was the new Libor Hajek, with the Rangers unable to waive him due to fears of losing him on waivers. He was set to be the 7D and spend most of his time in the press box. Well, Robertson proved many wrong and showed that not everyone develops at the same timeline.
Robertson did start the season as the 7D, sitting for the first three games before his regular season debut on October 12. Robertson had some extended (2+ games) stints as a healthy scratch through the beginning of November, but eventually replaced Urho Vaakanainen as the 3LD and locked down a full time spot by the middle of November. Assuming he plays the remaining 4 games for the Rangers, he will have dressed for 72 games, spending 10 as a healthy scratch.
Robertson has been such a pleasant surprise that he was actually moved up in the lineup to the 2LD spot as Carson Soucy’s play declined. When Soucy was traded, Robertson was the clear 2LD, though he would sometimes play on the third pair if Braden Schneider was shifted to 2LD for a game.
The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. As the Rangers 2026 Masterton nominee, Robertson was awarded for his patience and dedication to the game, finally breaking into the NHL at 24 years old, a full six seasons after the Rangers drafted him in the second round in 2019.
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