The New York Rangers have gotten off to a great start. They are 4-1-0, and could easily be undefeated had it not been for a bad three minutes at the end of the season opener against the Boston Bruins. While it's a small sample size, they look very competitive and have great chemistry so far. While there are a lot of factors that go into it, a big reason for it is head coach Mike Sullivan. The way he has led this team makes him an early favorite for the Jack Adams Award.
Mike Sullivan has the team playing above expectations
Going into the season, the Rangers did not have the best reputation, or high expectations. They won the Presidents' Trophy in 2023-24, but went on to miss the playoffs in back-to-back seasons with last year being a huge disaster fueled by key injuyries.
Sure, they entered this season with high-end talent like Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox. Players who are considered among the best in the league. But with how poorly they have played the past few seasons, it was clear that it was not enough. It was clear that the talent was not enough to keep up with the league. The locker room also seemed off and did not play like a cohesive unit, and it resulted in a change that saw players like Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck exit while newcomers like Pavel Dorofeyev were brought to Broadway.
But this season there has been a noticeable difference. The Rangers have been playing much more like a unit. They have been more willing to stick up for their teammates, and it feels like a group that wants to play together. A large reason for that is the leadership of Sullivan. He has been able to get the guys in the locker room to buy in and develop a winning culture. He is starting to put his fingerprints on the roster.
Several key players have also shown noticeable improvements. Offseason acquisition Sean Durzi has been far better than advertised thus far. In the five games, he has scored a goal and has been aggressive all over the ice. Other defensemen like Vladislav Gavrikov have continued to play well, and he looks even more comfortable being this is his second season in New York. Eeli Tolvanen was a late signing, and he's got three goals so far, and his former Seattle Kraken teammate Oliver Bjorkstrand just picked up two goals against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
There's also newcomer Marcus Pettersson, a player that was brought in given his history with the Rangers' bench boss. This is clearly the result of Mike Sullivan having more of a say on roster construction, and it is good to see him being empowered in a more meaningful way. He has been known for improving the play of defensemen, and it appears he's doing the same thing with the Rangers.
To be able to solve the biggest issues the Rangers had and get the most out of his players shows how good of a job he's doing. This alone would be enough to make him a frontrunner for the Adams Award. But to do it for one of the most famous franchises in NHL history only makes his resume stronger. It creates a storyline that few other coaches will be able to live up to. It is something that is going to resonate with voters. The voters like redemption stories, and a Sullivan led turnaround is something that could generate support and interest.
Although it is still early in the season, the job Sullivan has done has been very impressive. If he can keep it up, he should be a lock for the Jack Adams Award.
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