Will Borgen Bio
William “Will” Borgen (born December 19, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey player who plays as a defenseman for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the fourth round, 92nd overall, of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Borgen has steadily developed into a reliable two-way blueliner known for his physicality and defensive responsibility. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing approximately 205 pounds, he brings size, mobility, and a steady presence to the Rangers’ back end.
After progressing through Minnesota high school hockey, the United States Hockey League, and the collegiate ranks at St. Cloud State University, Borgen embarked on his professional career in 2018. He has since suited up for the Buffalo Sabres, Seattle Kraken, and New York Rangers, establishing himself as a dependable depth defenseman capable of logging significant minutes in all situations.
Early Life and Background
Will Borgen was born on December 19, 1996, in Moorhead, Minnesota, a city along the Red River bordering North Dakota with a strong youth hockey tradition. Growing up in this competitive hockey environment, he developed his game on the local rinks and quickly became a standout prospect in the region. Moorhead’s proximity to the larger Fargo metropolitan area provided him with year-round access to ice time and high-level competition.
Borgen attended Moorhead High School, where he spent the first three years of his organized hockey career competing in the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). In 2013, he helped Moorhead reach the MSHSL Tournament, an early indicator of his potential. On March 22, 2014, during the 2013–14 season, a frightening incident occurred when a skate blade clipped his neck, cutting through some neck muscle but stopping just short of his carotid artery. Borgen’s recovery and return to the ice demonstrated the resilience that has become a hallmark of his career.
Through his first two seasons at Moorhead, Borgen totaled 12 goals, 32 assists, and 61 penalty minutes across 57 regular-season and playoff games. During his 2014–15 campaign, he elevated his production, collecting 28 points and 70 penalty minutes in 27 games. Following that high school season, he joined the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League to complete his junior development, appearing in 21 games and recording one goal and seven assists for eight points. He was ranked 114th overall in the NHL Bureau of Central Scouting’s North American skater rankings ahead of the 2015 draft.
Path to Hockey
Will Borgen’s path to professional hockey passed through one of the NCAA’s top developmental conferences. After completing his USHL stint with the Omaha Lancers, he enrolled at St. Cloud State University, where he joined the Huskies of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). The move gave him a chance to refine his defensive game against high-end competition and to develop the structured, two-way style that defines his NHL play.
During the 2015–16 season, his freshman year, Borgen recorded his first collegiate point with an assist against Miami University on October 30, and later netted his first collegiate goal against Western Michigan. He finished the year with 11 assists in 22 games, leading all NCHC freshman defensemen in scoring and earning selection to the NCHC All-Rookie Team. In 2016–17, he added two goals and 10 assists with 60 penalty minutes in 33 games, though he also received a two-game suspension for shoving a referee during a game.
Partway through the 2017–18 season, Borgen’s two goals and 12 assists for 14 points led all St. Cloud State defensemen, and he was named the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year and an All-NCHC Team Honorable Mention. He concluded the season with 13 points, leaving school to turn professional after his junior year. Internationally, Borgen represented the United States at the 2016 World Junior Championships, where he tallied three assists in seven games and helped the team capture a bronze medal. On January 1, 2018, he was named to the U.S. roster for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang as one of four collegiate players selected, though he did not see any ice time during the tournament.
Will Borgen Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
On March 25, 2018, Borgen signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres and was immediately assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans, on an amateur tryout agreement. He appeared in eight games with Rochester that season, easing into the professional game. The following year, 2018–19, he became a regular in the AHL, tallying three goals and 11 assists for 14 points across 71 games.
His steady play earned him a late-season NHL opportunity. On March 26, 2019, Borgen made his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators, marking the culmination of his long development path. He went on to appear in four NHL games that season, getting his first taste of the league and setting the stage for a full-time role the following year.
Buffalo Sabres Era (2019–2021)
Borgen joined the Buffalo Sabres’ NHL roster on a more permanent basis for the 2019–20 season, appearing in 61 games and recording one goal and 10 assists for 11 points. As a rookie defenseman, he was given shelter minutes and power-play kill duties, learning the speed and structure of the professional game while contributing a physical presence on the back end.
The 2020–21 season was a shortened campaign played under COVID-19 protocols. Borgen played 10 games with Buffalo, totaling 30 hits and 14 blocked shots in a limited role. Despite the small sample size, he showed the shot-blocking and finishing checks that had marked his game at every level. On July 21, 2021, he was selected from the Sabres by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, ending his time in the Buffalo organization.
Seattle Kraken Era (2021–2025)
On August 5, 2021, the Seattle Kraken signed Borgen to a two-year, $1.8 million contract, giving him an opportunity to claim a regular role on the league’s newest franchise. After a quiet start, he scored his first NHL goal on January 2, 2022, against the Vancouver Canucks, and finished the 2021–22 season with two goals and six assists across 36 games. The 2022–23 season marked a major step forward: Borgen appeared in all 82 games, recording three goals and 17 assists for 20 points, both career highs at the time. He also scored his first NHL playoff goal on April 24, 2023, opening the scoring in a 3–2 overtime victory over the Colorado Avalanche, and played all 14 of Seattle’s postseason contests.
Following the season, on July 7, 2023, Borgen signed a two-year, $5.4 million contract extension with the Kraken. On January 1, 2024, he scored the second goal of the 2024 NHL Winter Classic against the Vegas Golden Knights, a 3–0 Seattle victory. He finished the 2023–24 campaign with three goals and 22 assists for 25 points, again setting new career highs. On December 18, 2024, Seattle traded Borgen to the New York Rangers, along with third-round and sixth-round picks in 2025, in exchange for forward Kaapo Kakko. In 33 games with the Kraken that season, he had registered one goal and one assist.
New York Rangers Era (2025–Present)
Borgen’s arrival in New York came mid-season, and the Rangers quickly committed to him as part of their core. On January 25, 2025, he signed a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension, signaling a long-term vote of confidence from the organization. Splitting the 2024–25 season between Seattle and New York, he finished with 51 games as a Ranger, recording four goals and nine assists for 13 points while adding 73 hits and 80 blocked shots.
In a Rangers uniform, Borgen has continued to deliver the defensive reliability, physicality, and shot-blocking that defined his earlier stops. His five-year deal runs through the 2029–30 season, anchoring him as a key piece of New York’s defensive corps for the foreseeable future.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although the term is more common in racing, Borgen’s on-ice profile draws on similar ideas of consistency, control, and disciplined execution. He is regarded as a defense-first blueliner who excels at gap control, shot-blocking, and using his 6-foot-3 frame to win board battles. Coaches have leaned on him in penalty-kill situations, where his positioning and willingness to block pucks have made him a trusted option. He is not a high-volume scorer, but his steady play, low giveaways, and physical presence allow linemates to take more offensive chances.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Borgen’s signature moments are his first NHL goal against the Vancouver Canucks on January 2, 2022, his first playoff goal against the Colorado Avalanche on April 24, 2023, and his goal in the 2024 NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. He reached the 100-game NHL mark on February 7, 2023, and has logged every game in a full 82-game season on multiple occasions, an indicator of his durability and the trust of his coaching staffs.
Will Borgen Career Wins
Will Borgen’s professional record is built on steady defensive contributions rather than goal-scoring totals. Across the AHL and NHL, he has been recognized more for blocks, hits, and reliable minutes than for offensive numbers, but he has collected several individual and team milestones along the way.
NHL Highlights
Borgen’s first NHL goal came on January 2, 2022, against the Vancouver Canucks, while playing for the Seattle Kraken. He played all 82 games of the 2022–23 season, finishing with three goals and 17 assists for 20 points, then set a new career high with 25 points (three goals, 22 assists) in 2023–24. His first playoff goal came in a 3–2 overtime win over the Colorado Avalanche on April 24, 2023, helping the Kraken push deep into the postseason. He also scored in the 2024 NHL Winter Classic, a 3–0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on January 1, 2024.
Other Wins and Performances
At the junior and collegiate level, Borgen earned the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year award in 2017–18 and was an All-NCHC Team Honorable Mention. He also helped the United States win a bronze medal at the 2016 World Junior Championships, recording three assists in seven games. With the Rochester Americans, he posted 14 points in 71 games during the 2018–19 AHL season.
Will Borgen Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Will Borgen’s parents and siblings is limited, and detailed family-background records have not been published in the sources reviewed. He grew up in Moorhead, Minnesota, where he was immersed in a community with deep youth hockey roots, and that local environment helped shape his development as a player.
Personal Life
Details about Borgen’s personal life, including marital status, spouse, and children, have not been publicly confirmed in the sources available. He resides in the United States and has split his professional life between Buffalo, Seattle, and New York, where he plays for the Rangers on a five-year contract.
2025 Season Performance
Will Borgen’s 2024–25 season was defined by his mid-season trade from the Seattle Kraken to the New York Rangers. Through 33 games in Seattle, he had managed just one goal and one assist, but the December 18, 2024 trade for Kaapo Kakko opened a new chapter in his career. Skating in 51 games for the Rangers, he posted four goals and nine assists for 13 points, while contributing 73 hits and 80 blocked shots as a steady presence on the blue line.
On January 25, 2025, the Rangers rewarded his strong play with a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension, locking him in through the 2029–30 season. His combination of physicality, penalty-kill dependability, and shot-blocking has quickly made him a trusted part of New York’s defensive group. With multiple years of term remaining on his deal, Borgen is positioned as a long-term fixture on the Rangers’ back end.
Looking ahead, Borgen is expected to remain a top-six defenseman and a regular on the penalty kill for New York. His durability, having played full 82-game seasons multiple times, gives the Rangers confidence in his ability to handle a heavy workload. As the team builds around its veteran core, Borgen’s blend of size, experience, and two-way reliability should keep him in a central role for seasons to come.