DENVER — Will Borgen has been a solid fit in the Rangers defense corps since coming to New York in the Kaapo Kakko trade on Dec. 18.
Changing teams midseason for the first time in his six-year NHL career, the 28-year-old blueliner didn’t have the luxury of training camp or preseason games to learn the new system, but it has not appeared to hinder him at all on the ice.
“I think I got used to everything, used to the systems more now and now it’s kind of ingrained in me of what to do so I don’t have to think too much out there,” Borgen told The Post of how he’s settled in through 11 games Monday after practice. “It’s been good, the team’s been playing well, so it makes it easy for me.”
Borgen brings a tough presence to the Rangers’ back end on both sides of the puck.
Not only can he put pucks on net, the 6-foot-3, 204-pounder has effectively disrupted the middle of the Blueshirts defensive zone, which had been a free-for-all prior to his arrival.
In 128:35 of ice time so far, according to Natural Stat Trick, Borgen and K’Andre Miller have been on for eight Rangers goals and six against. They’ve owned a goals-for percentage of 57.14 while out-chancing opponents 65-56.
Borgen, who thus far has one goal and one assist with the Rangers, also has blocked 20 shots and landed 19 hits.
“He’s been great,” Miller said. “He’s a great guy outside of the rink, hanging out with the guys, playing cards. Obviously, Minnesota boy, so [I] got to know him a little bit better through those connections. He’s been great for our team. Doing all the little things, being hard to play against in our D-zone, getting shots through in the O-zone.
“Really just being hard to play against. Doing a good job of playing a 200-foot game and being reliable. He’s been great so far.”
Regarding Brett Berard’s demotion to AHL Hartford, head coach Peter Laviolette said he thought the 22-year-old rookie’s first NHL stint went well.
“I think it’s all a learning process, it’s all part of the development of a young player,” he said. “From what we were just talking about with the uncertainty of how your roster moves sometimes day to day with regard to injuries, sometimes there’s openings and sometimes there’s not.
“I think talking about young players, you always want to be mindful of their development, to keep them developing, to keep them in the mix so that they’re playing and they continue to develop. So he’s gone back down after a good, solid stint with us to continue to develop.”
The Rangers will face the Avalanche on Tuesday night at Ball Arena before they venture to Salt Lake City for the first time.
They are scheduled to practice at The Oval on Wednesday before they face Utah Hockey Club for the second time this season, which will also count as their first appearance at Delta Center.