Mike Sullivan and Chris Drury Shrug Off Top-Six Forward Concerns

When pinpointing specific needs the New York Rangers may need to address during the offseason, both Mike Sullivan and Chris Drury pointed to improving the bottom-six forward unit and adding a puck-moving defenseman.

How about the top-six forward unit?

Throughout the 2025-26 season, the Rangers struggled to score consistently, as evidenced by their 235 goals in 82 games, which ranked them 23rd in the NHL.

In most cases, the finger would be pointed toward the top-six forwards, but Sullivan felt satisfied with his top point producers. 

“I think we have some talented guys. Mika (Zibanejad) had a terrific year. I think J.T. (Miller) is capable of scoring. I think Troch (Vincent Trocheck) is capable of scoring, I think Will Cuylle. I think Laf (Alexis Lafrenière) is very capable of scoring. I think there’s another level to Laf’s game for example. We were really encouraged by his evolution in the second part of the season. 

“I do think we have the makings of guys that can finish and produce offense for us… I do think the offensive side is something we have to look to improve on.” 

The Rangers lost arguably their most dynamic scoring threat in Artemi Panarin, as the team traded him to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 5. 

Between Zibanejad’s 78-point season, Lafrenière’s late-year resurgence, and the emergence of Gabe Perreault, the Blueshirts have some positives to take into the offseason regarding their top-six forwards, but there are still a lot of unknowns that are yet to be solved. 

Trocheck was nearly traded during the 2025-26 campaign, and it is certainly not out of the question that he gets dealt in the summer, which would leave the Rangers with a gaping hole to fill.

Meanwhile, Cuylle hasn’t proven that he can be a reliable top-six option, showing inconsistencies when given an increased role. 

It remains unclear if Drury will look to address some of the team’s top-six scoring needs via free agency or on the trade market, but his and Sullivan’s message indicates, that at least on the surface level, they are content with what they currently have.