For years, the New York Rangers’ power play has been one of the team’s defining strengths. Built around Artemi Panarin on the half wall, Mika Zibanejad’s one-timer, Adam Fox’s vision from the point, and Chris Kreider’s net-front presence, it consistently ranked among the league’s elite. But that identity unraveled in 2024–25, when the unit plummeted to a 17.6% conversion rate, 28th in the NHL, after three-straight seasons in the top 10. The drop-off was so severe that, had the Rangers simply matched their historical average, they likely would have secured a playoff spot.
Now, with Kreider traded to the Anaheim Ducks in June, the Rangers enter unfamiliar territory. For the first time in nearly a decade, their power play won’t revolve around his screens and deflections in front of the net.
From Elite to the Bottom of the League
The Rangers have lived by their power play, and, as of last season, died by it. For the past five seasons, everything has run through the man-advantage. Playoff runs ended when it dried up, and in 2024–25 it completely fell apart, costing them a postseason berth.
In 2021–22, they finished fourth at 25.2 percent. In 2022–23, they ranked seventh at 24.1 percent. In 2023–24, they climbed to third at 26.4 percent. But last season the number cratered to 17.6 percent, with multiple long stretches without a single goal. The Rangers were already sliding in the standings, and the power play turned that into a full collapse. The reality is simple: if they had converted at the same rate as the three seasons prior, they would have been a playoff team.
Life After Kreider
Kreider was the constant on the Rangers’ top unit for nearly a decade. He wasn’t just a finisher. His net-front presence defined the group, the screens, the deflections, the rebounds. Every other piece of the power play ran off of him. In June, the Rangers traded him to Anaheim. For the first time in years, he won’t be there to park himself in front of the goalie and create chaos.
That leaves a hole the Rangers can’t just paper over. Someone has to take the net-front spot on the top unit. Will Cuylle is the obvious choice with his size, hands, and edge, but Vincent Trocheck is another option who often filled in if Kreider was injured. If the Rangers finally shift to running two power-play units, they’ll need both Cuylle and Trocheck, or someone else, to anchor the crease.
One Unit or Two?
For the past five years, the Rangers have relied almost exclusively on one power-play unit. The first group would often stay on for a minute and a half or more, leaving the second unit with scraps. That worked when the top group was producing, but it also made the power play predictable. Last season, when the first unit went cold, there was no Plan B.
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This year should be different. The Rangers have enough talent to spread across two groups, and the younger players need real power-play minutes to develop. Brennan Othmann, Gabe Perreault, Brett Berard, Juuso Parssinen, and Scott Morrow aren’t locks to make the opening-night roster, but if they do, they need more than short shifts at the tail end of a man advantage. The only way to get the most out of them is to commit to two units and give both meaningful time.
Three Options
The Rangers have a few different ways they can set up their power play this season. None of them are perfect, but each approach shows a different philosophy.
One option is to balance youth and veterans. In that setup, the first unit could be J.T. Miller, Cuylle, Alexis Lafrenière, Panarin, and Fox. The second would feature Trocheck, Perreault, Zibanejad, Othmann, and either Morrow or Fox. This spreads experience across both groups and ensures that younger players get meaningful minutes. It still leans toward the top unit, but it’s closer to balance than what the Rangers have done in the past.
Another option is to commit fully to two units. The first would be Miller, Cuylle, Perreault, Trocheck, and Fox. The second would be Panarin, Zibanejad, Lafrenière, Othmann, and either Morrow or Fox. This is the boldest choice because both groups would be legitimate threats. It also gives the younger players a chance to play real minutes on the man advantage. The downside is that Panarin and Zibanejad would see less ice time, which might not sit well with the stars.
The final option is to stick with what they have been doing. That would mean a first unit of Panarin, Trocheck, Zibanejad, Miller, and Fox, with a second group of Perreault, Othmann, Lafrenière, Jonny Brodzinski or Juuso Parssinen, and Morrow or Fox. The Rangers could also roll a five-forward look with Berard in that mix. If Morrow doesn’t make the roster, the Rangers don’t really have a second power-play quarterback. That either means Fox would have to run both units, or Vladislav Gavrikov would be pressed into the role. In this scenario, the first unit takes most of the ice and the second unit gets 30 seconds or less. It’s the same formula that failed last season, but it is also the most familiar.
Rangers’ Outlook for 2025–26
The Rangers don’t have the luxury of standing still. Kreider’s departure leaves a major hole, and last season showed what happens when the power play goes cold. Cuylle and Trocheck can handle the net front, but the bigger question is whether the Rangers finally commit to two units.
If they do, the young players get real chances and the attack becomes harder to defend. If they don’t, and Fox is forced to quarterback both groups, they risk repeating last season’s collapse. The power play will decide whether this team returns to the playoffs.
