Eric Hartline-Imagn ImagesThe New York Rangers’ dominant 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night was led by the impressive play of some of the team’s young talent.
Given the Rangers’ retooling direction, at this point of the season, the growth of the young players is most critical, even more so than wins.
Sullivan has already admitted to a shift in his philosophy in terms of his utilization of players, which centers around giving the youth more of an opportunity to thrive and put them in an abundance of situations they aren’t necessarily accustomed to at the NHL level.
“That’s part of it; putting these guys in certain situations and seeing what they're capable of, Sullivan said. “That was part of that process.”
There is no one player who has benefited from this shift in philosophy more than Gabe Perreault.
Perreault has flourished since returning from the Olympic break, and it’s been evident that he’s beginning to not only adapt to the NHL, but the game is slowing down for him at a rate where he’s able to dictate plays through his impressive vision and hockey IQ.
With J.T. Miller landing on injured reserve, Sullivan has given Perreault an opportunity to operate with the Rangers’ first power-play unit.
On Monday night in Philadelphia, the 20-year-old forward showcased his skills on the man advantage, recording one goal and one assist, headlined by a no-look pass to Mika Zibanejad for a goal.
“Game by game, I think I get more and more confident,” Perreault said. “That kind of helps with getting other players’ trust, the coaching staff, and believing and being confident in myself as well.”
While the play of Noah Laba has always been a bright spot for the Rangers, he’s quietly emerging as one of the team’s most impactful forwards as of late.
Outside of Laba’s two points on the night (one goal, one assist), he played the game with a ferocious physical edge, specifically on the defensive side of the puck.
Sullivan continues to make it a priority to give Laba an increased role on the penalty kill, and so far, he’s liked what he’s seen.
“We're trying to give him a more prominent role here on the penalty kill in particular, and just give him more reps, and giving him more of an opportunity to continue to grow in that area,” Sullivan said of Laba. “We're trying to put him in a more prominent role there.”
When the Rangers claimed Tye Kartye off waivers from the Seattle Kraken last week, it was relatively unknown what he would provide for the Rangers and the exact role Sullivan planned on inserting him into.
Through five games with the Blueshirts, Kartye has found his place, playing in a third-line role and slotting in on the penalty kill.
He had arguably his best performance against the Flyers.
The 24-year-old forward recorded his first goal as a Ranger, while also assisting on Laba’s goal in the first period.
Kartye’s reliable two-way game is what stands out most about his overall game, as he’s turning out to be a sneaky addition for the Rangers.
“I really like Tye’s game,” Sullivan emphasized. “He's got a simple game. He plays north, south, he checks well. There's a physical dimension to his game. He finishes checks, he's abrasive, he's willing to take hits to make plays. We've really liked how he's fit in.”
The Rangers’ fate this season likely remains the same, with the playoffs far out of reach.
However, it's certainly encouraging to see this sort of contribution from New York’s younger talent.