The Rangers are facing difficulties with their power play.
After Adam Fox sustained a shoulder injury, head coach Mike Sullivan and assistant David Quinn opted for an unusual five-forward setup. They noted that the defensemen available—Scott Morrow, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Braden Schneider—lack the strong skills usually needed for power-play quarterbacking.
This different approach has not worked well for the team.
“They’ve kept us afloat to some extent, but it’s clear that changes are necessary,” Sullivan remarked following a frustrating 3-0 loss to the Blackhawks on Wednesday, where the team failed to capitalize on three power plays. “We may need to go back to using a defenseman. Replacing Fox is, well, not an easy task.”
Since losing Fox, the Rangers have struggled significantly on the power play, going 0-for-11 in their last five games, even allowing a short-handed goal.
The power-play group, which included Will Quill, Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck, initially showed potential. However, they couldn’t seem to find the net, leading to even less zone time and a breakdown in their cohesion.
It was actually the short-handed goal by Chicago during the second period that prompted Sullivan to bring Morrow into the lineup. His puck-moving skills were a key factor in the trade involving Quandre Miller.
Morrow, replacing Quill during the Rangers’ last two power plays, understandably didn’t make a significant impact given his limited experience in such critical moments.
“Things are not going well enough,” Trocheck commented. “Frustration builds, and when you try to force things, you end up re-organizing multiple times on each power play. That’s no way to succeed.”
It’s worth noting that, for coach Sullivan, who’s generally made solid decisions, admitting uncertainty about fixing their power play is quite significant.
Currently, the Rangers are among the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL, averaging just 2.56 goals per game, and they haven’t scored a power-play goal in nearly two weeks. Improving their offensive output has been a challenge most of the season, especially since the power play has long been crucial for the team.
With only 72 power plays this season, something needs to change as that statistic puts them second to last in the league, just ahead of the Penguins.
They’ve had difficulty keeping control and putting pressure on their opponents, which has certainly contributed to this issue.
It’s likely adjustments will be made during Friday’s practice. Fox won’t return immediately, so time is of the essence.
“It’s tough to find a rhythm without a functional power play,” Zibanejad expressed. “When you go so long without scoring on one, it gets frustrating. Getting the first power play might help, but you never know—maybe we didn’t earn our opportunities. Still, the more chances we get, the better our odds.”
