On Saturday, the New York Rangers beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 to end a five-game losing streak, putting a bandaid on the gigantic wound that had formed over the week. However, during the losing streak, it became clear that the Rangers would shake up their core with Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba being made available for a trade. While they might not be traded anytime soon, General Manager Chris Drury was sending a message to his team that if things don’t get better, he will break up the core group.
Even against the Canadiens, the Rangers blew a 3-1 lead in the third period and were outplayed most of the game by the last-place team in the Eastern Conference. If the Rangers want to end this slump, they must rely on their younger players, who so far this season, have outperformed the veterans by a mile.
Will Cuylle Is a Superstar in the Making
The biggest bright spot on the team this season has been the emergence of Will Cuylle. In his rookie season in 2023-24, he scored 13 goals and 21 points through 81 games. He has taken a huge step forward this season and is arguably the best player on the team through the first 23 games. He needs one point to match his total from last season (2 goals and 20 points) in 23 games and is second on the team in points and goals, tied with Kreider. He is blossoming into a star right in front of our eyes, and everyone should be following his lead.
Cuylle isn’t afraid of going to the dirty areas to score goals. He is fast, strong, physical and has an in-your-face attitude that makes him annoying to play against. This is something the Rangers have been lacking, and they need more of their players to play hard and physical and be willing to go to the front of the net and the dirty areas. If Cuylle can continue to play up to this level, he will receive a long-term contract extension when this season is over.
Alexis Lafreniere Continues to Improve
While he hasn’t been a standout this season, Alexis Lafreniere has continued his good play from last season. He has eight goals and 17 points in 23 games mostly playing on a line with Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin. While he has been impacted by their struggles, he is still playing very well and proving he deserved…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…