Rangers’ New Approach to Power Play Under Coach Mike Sullivan

The newly appointed head coach, Mike Sullivan, has made significant changes to the Rangers’ power play strategy, dividing his focus into three main areas.

First up, managing player workloads.

Next, he’s introducing different unit variations.

And importantly, he’s ensuring that Alexis Lafrenière has the opportunity to showcase his best performances.

Sullivan’s decision to include Lafrenière in the Rangers’ premier power play unit seems to align with a vision for the future.

This unit, historically rich with talent and success, has received consistent attention from the last three coaching staff. However, Sullivan aims to tap into Lafrenière’s full potential in a fresh, impactful way.

“If you’re looking to unlock the best version of Lafrenière, positioning him in that top unit will give him a chance to elevate his game,” Sullivan said after the squad’s first practice session. “I believe that power play time on the top unit is crucial, so we’re focusing on providing Lafrenière the opportunity to improve.”

Lafrenière, who has often been among the Rangers’ leading goal scorers, rotated between both power play units during practice with teammate Vincent Trocheck. The first unit featured notable players like Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, and Mika Zibanejad, while the second included Quiel, Gabe Perot, Scott Moreau, and Matt Lempe.

At one point during practice, Sullivan pointed out to Lafrenière that he needed to be more active.

Sullivan’s emphasis on maintaining constant movement and utilizing varied HR tactics is expected to reinvigorate the Rangers’ power play, which became somewhat stale last season.

“Today, we had six players working in the top unit,” Sullivan noted about the setup. “This allows us to offer diverse options—different player styles, positions, and strategies.”

Discussions about the power play unit’s design and function took place among Sullivan, the coaching staff, and general manager Chris Drury.

He mentioned he has several goals in mind regarding player utilization to effectively manage their workloads.

While he doesn’t anticipate drastic changes in how ice time is divided between the two units, Sullivan hopes for growth within the primary group. Typically, the first unit gets more time, but there are new tactics being explored.

Moreover, many of the top power play players also serve as key penalty killers, complicating how Sullivan balances player roles.

“If you appropriately manage workloads throughout the season, you optimize performance across the board,” he explained. “Overusing the same players can lead to them playing 22 minutes a night over 82 games.”

“When you have players in the top six, not only are they on the power play, but they’re also holding up during penalty kills. It’s a balancing act, especially in a tight game.”