The New York Rangers are dialing up the aggression on the power play, and Monday’s practice gave us a clear look at just how bold they’re willing to get. With Adam Fox still sidelined, the Rangers rolled out a five-forward top unit-Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck, J.T.
Miller, and Will Cuylle. No defensemen.
Just pure offensive firepower.
If you’re wondering what “going all in” looks like on the man-advantage, this is it. Five forwards, no safety net. It’s a high-risk, high-reward setup that screams confidence-and maybe even a little bit of desperation to keep the power play humming without their elite quarterback on the blue line.
Let’s break it down.
The upside: pressure, creativity, and goals
This unit is built to overwhelm. Panarin and Zibanejad are elite playmakers with lethal shots.
Trocheck adds grit and vision in the middle. Miller brings size and scoring touch, while Cuylle continues to grow into a power-forward role with a nose for the net.
Together, they represent the Rangers’ best available offensive threats.
Without a defenseman anchoring the point, the puck movement should be quicker, the angles sharper, and the chances more dangerous. The idea here is to keep defenders on their heels, constantly chasing the puck, and eventually breaking down under the weight of sustained pressure. It’s not just about scoring; it’s about dictating every second of the power play.
And let’s be clear: the Rangers haven’t been bad on the power play-far from it. They’ve converted four of their last 11 chances and currently sit 12th in the NHL with a 21.3% success rate.
That’s solid. But this new look?
It’s a shot at something more dynamic, more explosive.
The risk: turnovers and shorthanded chances
Of course, there’s a flip side. No defenseman means no true safety valve at the top.
If the puck gets turned over near the blue line, it’s open season the other way. And while Igor Shesterkin is more than capable of bailing his team out with a highlight-reel save, asking him to face odd-man rushes while shorthanded isn’t a sustainable strategy.
That’s where the absence of Fox really hurts. He’s not just a puck-mover-he’s a stabilizer.
He knows when to push and when to pull back. His presence allows the forwards to be aggressive without constantly looking over their shoulders.
Without him, the margin for error gets thinner.
Could Braden Schneider or Vladislav Gavrikov step into that quarterback role? Possibly.
But neither brings the same offensive instincts or vision that Fox does. That’s why the coaching staff is experimenting with this five-forward alignment-it’s a calculated gamble to lean into the team’s strengths rather than trying to replace Fox with a like-for-like substitute.
What to watch moving forward
Whether this unit sticks in actual games remains to be seen, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on. It’s bold, it’s creative, and it has the potential to tilt games in the Rangers’ favor-if they can manage the risk.
For now, Schneider will need to show head coach Mike Sullivan that he can handle the responsibilities if called upon. Until then, the Rangers are rolling the dice with this all-offense approach.
It might not be the safest play, but it’s definitely one of the most intriguing. And if it clicks? It could be a game-changer.