Will Cuylle is beginning to find his game.
Going into the 2025-26 campaign, the expectations for Cuylle were sky-high, especially after the New York Rangers traded Chris Kreider.
He signed a two-year, $7.8 million contract extension with the Blueshirts over the summer, hoping to eventually earn a long-term deal.
The opportunity was there for Cuylle to seize a permanent top-six role and truly break out from a statistical standpoint.
However, Cuylle started the season off slowly, only recording one point in his first nine games.
After Cuylle’s slow start, Mike Sullivan emphasized that he knows there’s another gear that he could reach.
“I think there’s another level to their game,’’ head coach Mike Sullivan said of Alexis Lafrenière and Cuylle.
Through the Rangers’ four-game road trip, Cuylle elevated his game and showed what he’s truly capable of.
The 23-year-old forward recorded one goal, four assists, and five points in those four games, as he finally began to hit his stride.
His goal came in overtime against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night, to propel the Rangers to a 3-2 win, marking their third consecutive victory.
Cuylle is beginning to feel more confident and energized.
“Just trying to get back to my game,” Cuylle said. “I was under the weather for a bit. Just a bit more energy, playing with more energy. I feel like myself again. It’s nice to get on the scoresheet a bit on this trip and help the team out.”
Mike Sullivan Wants To See ‘More Predictability And Reliability’ Out Of Brennan Othmann
The tail of Brennan Othmann with the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> continues to be disappointing.
Cuylle has also begun playing alongside Noah Laba and Lafrenière, which has helped spark his offensive resurgence.
“There's a lot of speed on that line,” Sullivan said. “In the offensive zone, they are connected. They stay close. They have that triangle offense, so to speak, down below the tops of the circles. They're able to win pucks and keep pucks in the offensive zone because of it. I think that allows them the opportunity to have success.”
It’s certainly encouraging to see Cuylle’s recent play, and the potential remains there for him to take a big leap and transform into one of the Rangers’ top point producers.