Rangers Debut Five-Forward Power Play-And It’s a Work in Progress
The New York Rangers rolled out something bold on Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars: a five-forward power-play unit. With star defenseman Adam Fox sidelined on long-term injured reserve, head coach Mike Sullivan leaned into a high-risk, high-reward strategy-stacking the man advantage with nothing but firepower up front.
The unit featured Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Will Cuylle.
On paper, that’s a ton of offensive talent. But as we saw in Dallas, turning that talent into production-especially without a natural defenseman anchoring the blue line-is going to take some time.
Let’s start with what went right: the zone entries. The Rangers had no problem breaking into the offensive zone.
Their speed and puck-handling made those transitions look easy, which is often half the battle on the power play. But once they got set up, things got murky.
Without a true defenseman to hold the line and manage the top of the zone, New York struggled to sustain pressure. Panarin, who took on the point duties, found himself in unfamiliar territory-literally.
Playing the blue line isn’t just about standing back and firing pucks through traffic. It’s about lateral movement, reading the forecheck, and making split-second decisions under pressure.
For a forward, especially one as dynamic as Panarin, that’s a steep adjustment.
“We put Bread in a spot that he is not accustomed to playing,” Sullivan said postgame. “As talented as he is, there's going to be a little bit of a learning curve there.”
That learning curve was on full display. Dallas brought an aggressive penalty kill-pressuring high, attacking the puck carrier, and forcing turnovers.
The result? A few odd-man rushes going the other way and a Rangers power play that looked vulnerable without its usual defensive safety net.
Panarin acknowledged the challenge of adapting to the Stars’ aggressive kill. “They go three high aggressive,” he said.
“I was not used to it, staying in that position when they go that aggressive. That’s why I tried to deliver it to the net everything.”
Still, this wasn’t a total loss. As the game wore on, the five-forward unit started to find some rhythm.
During a four-minute power play in the third period, they looked noticeably more comfortable. The puck movement was sharper, the spacing improved, and they generated several high-danger chances.
The only thing missing? A finish.
“I thought they got better as the game went on,” Sullivan said. “That four-minute power play, they were zipping it around pretty good. They had a number of really good looks… The only thing I think we'd like to see different was one of those going into the net.”
That’s the balance the Rangers are trying to strike. This setup has the potential to be electric-five skilled forwards who can move, pass, and shoot from anywhere. But it also comes with risks, especially against aggressive penalty kills and in moments when defensive instincts are required.
The good news? There’s time to let this experiment breathe.
With more reps and a bit of patience, this five-forward look could evolve into something special. But for now, it’s a work in progress-one that will test the Rangers’ adaptability and creativity as they navigate life without their top defenseman.