The New York Rangers envision Will Cuylle taking a big jump this season.
When asked about what kind of role Will Cuylle could play, Mike Sullivan emphasized that he wants him to play on the top-six.
Through his first two seasons in the NHL, Cuylle has hovered between a second and third liner, but it could finally be his time to carve out a permanent top-six role.
To hear this from his head coach meant a lot to Cuylle.
“It’s nice when a coach kind of gives you an opportunity and kind of sees what you can do,” Cuylle said. “I’m looking forward to starting the season.”
Sullivan displayed the trust he has in Cuylle during Friday’s practice as he placed him on a line alongside J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad.
To play on a line with Miller and Zibanejad not only means Cuylle will have to step up from an offensive standpoint, but he’ll be tasked with playing against the opposing team’s top players in a shutdown role.
This opportunity intrigues the 23-year-old forward, as he feels his game meshes well with Miller and Zibanejad.
“I played with them a bit last year, at the end of the year, so I thought that we had some good success and some good chemistry,” Cuylle said. “I think those are two world-class players, so you can learn a lot from them, and obviously, (get) more ice time with them. That would be a good opportunity…
“It’s a hard-working line. I think me and J.T. are pretty heavy players on the fourcheck and Mika has a ton of skill and finesse. I think it’s a pretty good balance, good defensively as well. I feel like last year we would go against other teams' top lines, so kind of just good all around.”
Rangers' Young Prospects Show Promise In Preseason Loss To Islanders
The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> lost 5-4 to the New York Islanders on Thursday night in their third preseason game, but that wasn’t the main story.
From year one to year two, Cuylle took a jump from a statistical standpoint, while also evolving more as a two-way forward.
Now, Cuylle is looking to build off of his successful 2024-25 campaign in his pursuit to transform into a game-changing player.
“Just be consistent,” Cuylle said of what he is looking to improve upon. “I want to improve in all the areas of my game. Get better in every area. I think my playmaking is a little better. I think just managing the game, managing the puck well. Just all situations being ready to go.”