Rangers vs Senators Player Props: Fox's Playmaking Edge

The New York Rangers visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday, October 24, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.

Ottawa enters with a 7-4-0 record, while New York sits at 7-4-1 following Thursday's loss in Toronto.

The Senators are slight favorites on Kalshi and Polymarket, with the game-result markets recently indicating approximately a 54–57% chance of an Ottawa victory.

However, the goaltending situation makes me somewhat reluctant to take a position on either team.

For player props, Adam Fox recording at least one assist looks more interesting.

Fox now has 14 assists through 12 games, an outstanding start for a defenseman who already ranks among the NHL's best playmakers.

Thursday's performance against Toronto was particularly impressive.

He assisted on all four Rangers goals, including Mika Zibanejad's first-period equalizer and Alexis Lafrenière's third-period goal that briefly tied the game at four.

It's worth emphasizing that all four assists came at even strength. Fox didn't need power-play opportunities to influence the game.

That could be important against Ottawa, particularly if Saturday turns into a relatively disciplined contest.

Fox has now recorded an assist in nine of his 12 appearances this season, although Thursday's four-point performance has obviously inflated his early production.

Still, this isn't entirely unfamiliar territory.

He finished the 2025-26 season with 44 assists in 55 games, averaging 0.8 per appearance despite missing considerable time through injury.

His current pace is unlikely to continue indefinitely, but his underlying offensive role provides a strong foundation for another productive night.

The Senators were excellent in Wednesday's 5-1 victory over Florida, but Thursday brought a very different result.

San Jose scored six times in Ottawa, handing the Senators their fourth defeat of the season.

However, that scoreline deserves some context.

Ottawa actually outshot San Jose 43-28, and two of the Sharks' goals came into an empty net. The Senators created plenty of opportunities themselves but couldn't solve Yaroslav Askarov.

The more concerning development is Ullmark's absence.

Ottawa's starting goaltender suffered a lower-body injury against Florida and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Samuel Ersson replaced him against San Jose but allowed four goals on 26 shots before being pulled for an extra attacker.

Ersson has struggled in his early appearances for Ottawa, and the Senators may need to rely on him again Saturday.

Jonas Johansson is another possibility, although neither goaltender has been confirmed.

For Fox, the opportunity is obvious. New York scored four goals against Toronto, and Ottawa's goaltending situation could create another favorable environment for the Rangers' leading offensive players.

Stützle has seven goals and eight assists through 11 games, giving him 15 points and another excellent start to the season.

He scored against San Jose on Thursday, extending his points streak to three games. He also recorded a goal and an assist against Florida the previous night.

The German center has registered at least one point in nine of Ottawa's 11 appearances.

Those are impressive numbers, and his responsibilities have only increased this season.

Stützle has been centering Fabian Zetterlund and Claude Giroux, while also playing significant minutes on Ottawa's first power-play unit.

However, New York has been a relatively difficult opponent offensively.

Before Thursday's defeat against Toronto, the Rangers had conceded just 24 goals in 11 games and owned one of the NHL's strongest penalty kills.

Igor Shesterkin's injury complicates that assessment, but Dylan Garand has provided capable goaltending in his absence.

Stützle's 1+ point market is worth considering, although I prefer Fox's assist potential at the right price.

Lafrenière is another interesting player heading into Saturday.

The 25-year-old scored his eighth goal of the season against Toronto, continuing what has been an excellent opening month.

He's now recorded 14 points through 12 appearances and has become one of New York's most important offensive contributors.

His recent success is particularly encouraging because it hasn't been limited to one type of opportunity.

Lafrenière has been generating offense alongside Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault, while his role on the first power-play unit provides additional opportunities to contribute.

However, his finishing percentage has been unusually high, and I'm not convinced his scoring pace is sustainable over an entire season.

An anytime-goal position could be attractive against Ottawa's backup goaltending, but the entry price needs to reflect that uncertainty.

For now, Fox offers a more established foundation through his assist production.

New York's most recent top line featured Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière, with Tye Kartye, J.T. Miller and Pavel Dorofeyev forming the second unit.

Fox is expected to continue alongside Vladislav Gavrikov on the leading defensive pairing.

Ottawa's latest combinations featured Fabian Zetterlund, Tim Stützle and Claude Giroux on the first line, followed by Warren Foegele, Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson.

Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub have been leading the Senators' defense, while Thomas Chabot remains unavailable with an upper-body injury.

The major absences are in goal.

New York remains without Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo, while Ottawa has placed Ullmark on injured reserve.

Dylan Garand and Samuel Ersson are the projected starters, although both assignments remain unconfirmed. Spencer Martin and Jonas Johansson are the respective alternatives.