The 2024–25 New York Rangers finished the season with a bottom-five power play. After years of being near the top of the league, the power play collapsed. They finished at 17.6%28th league wide, and it was a big part of the disappointing season that ended with the Rangers missing the play-offs.
Now, eleven games into the 2025-2026 season, the Rangers are at a similar point. TThe power play only converts 14.3% of the time. This indicates that last season was not just a down season, but rather the start of a worrying trend. Something needs to change, whether it’s personnel, strategy or even bringing up a prospect from the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers have their work cut out for them.
No Net-Front presence
The biggest difference between this Rangers power play and those that used to be at the top of the league is what happens or doesn’t happen in front of the net. The loss of Chris Kreider clearly played a role. For years he was one of the NHL’s best scorers, a player who made goaltenders uncomfortable. His ability to screen, tip and clear rebounds forced penalty killers to drop toward the crease, freeing up space for the perimeter shooters.
Now that presence is gone. The Rangers’ first unit doesn’t have a true net-front option, and it shows. Most opportunities come from outside. Shots are visible all the way in and there are rarely second or third attempts on loose pucks. The team still has the ability to generate looks, Artemi Panarin, JT Miller and Vincent Trocheck can move the puck as well as anyone, but the element of chaos that once made them dangerous is gone.
The result is a power play that feels predictable. Teams know where the puck is going and have adjusted. The Rangers are forced into low percentage attempts, and when they blow through, there is no one to create traffic. It is a structural problem that has been carried over from last season.
Possible answers
If the Rangers are serious about turning this around, they can’t just hope the numbers improve on their own. Something needs to change, and there are a few realistic options that could reinvigorate the power play. One of them is Will Cuylle playing just up front. Cuylle brings a different kind of presence than Kreider. He’s not as polished around the crease, but he’s strong on second attempts and harder to move. Right now, the Rangers don’t have anyone living in front of the net. Every chance comes from the perimeter, every shot is clearly visible to the goalkeeper. Cuylle has the edge and level of competition to change that. He doesn’t need to score, he just needs to make the goalkeeper’s job more difficult.
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Another possible solution is to split the talent into two equal units. The Rangers have relied too heavily on one power play group for years. If that unit doesn’t convert, momentum decreases. Splitting the talent would not only balance ice time, but also create internal competition and force different looks. It would give other players more touches instead of leaving them cold on the bench while the top group eats up almost all of the power play. Other successful teams have embraced this approach, using two fresh, aggressive units instead of one predictable one, and it’s something the Rangers should seriously consider.
Finally, the Rangers could look to American Hockey League affiliate Hartford, where Gabe Perreault is off to a strong start. Perreault’s playmaking ability and vision could add exactly what this power play lacks: patience, guile and a willingness to find seams. He processes the game differently, where others force it, he waits for them. Calling him would be a risk, but the reward could be significant. The Rangers need creativity, and Perreault’s skill set could give their second unit an identity rather than a temporary role.
The bigger picture
A bad power play not only costs goals, it also changes the game. The Rangers have lost momentum several times this season due to failed opportunities with the man advantage. When a team cannot capitalize on this, the pressure shifts back to their five-a-side play, which depletes energy and confidence. In 2024-2025, that same problem evolved into a season-long identity crisis. What was once one of the Rangers’ biggest strengths has turned into a weakness that opponents can plan around.
After eleven games it becomes clear that this is not about bad luck or a few missed opportunities. The problems go deeper. The feed is slow, the puck movement is predictable and there is no real threat around the crease. The Rangers have the talent to be dangerous, that much is indisputable, but they don’t look dangerous. When they play exclusively on the perimeter, the entire advantage breaks down into a series of low-percentage shots.
This must be a turning point. The Rangers have enough high-end players to solve the problem, but only if they are willing to change the way they approach it. Whether it’s Cuylle causing chaos up front, two balanced units providing competition, or the creativity of Hartford’s Perreault, something has to change. The longer they wait, the more this version of the power game becomes part of who they are.
The power play needs to improve
At some point, talent is no longer an excuse. The Rangers have too much of it to be at the bottom of the league two seasons in a row with their power play. This isn’t a dry spell or a bad spell, it’s a pattern. The structure is predictable, the roles are unclear and the identity that once made them dangerous has faded. Losing Kreider changed the look, but the lack of adjustment since then is what’s most concerning.
Something has to be done and the Rangers can’t just wait for this to resolve itself. The longer they do that, the harder it will be to shake the reputation of a team that can’t score when it matters most.
It’s still early, but the warning signs are clear. The power play not only doesn’t produce goals, it also doesn’t inspire any confidence. Until that changes, the Rangers will continue to chase games they should be controlling. For a roster built to compete, that’s not good enough.
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