With the New York Rangers next era on the horizon, this recent stretch of solid hockey has been a nice reminder of what this team could have been. The 2025-26 season is all but over in terms of the potential of a playoff berth, but tanking is not a necessity right now.
As this next era has been introduced with the "Letter 2.0" and the subsequent trade of Artemi Panarin to Los Angeles, this team is going through some changes. There was also the Trade Deadline, in which Vincent Trocheck was dangled like a tackle for any and all sharks to try and bite. But nothing happened, and now all eyes are on the summer.
Looking behind the bench, there is a peculiar situation that might be a blessing in disguise. Head coach Mike Sullivan will undoubtedly be the man calling the shots back there for the 2026-27 season, and he might have the best thing possible standing right next to him.
Let's talk about it.
Unfamiliar territory
Mike Sullivan was a successful coach in Pittsburgh. He led the Penguins to a decade worth of competitive hockey, and that includes even at the end of his tenure, when they did not make the playoffs.
But, this season has painted a bigger picture that this franchise is going to be going through a really rough patch for the next season or more. The retool is a really nice way of saying rebuild, but without having to completely strip this team down to the nuts and bolts. Sullivan has never coached a team in this position, but that does not mean he is not the best option.
If anything, Sullivan can identify what works in this new direction. He might be the guy who can finally put the first star of this week, Alexis Lafrenière, out of the "bust" category. He might be able to find a spot on this roster for Trocheck, lobbying on his behalf to Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury.
Sullivan has that winning pedigree, but there is a coach on this staff who was with the Rangers through their last rebuild. He will have the biggest impact on Sullivan's thinking, as he went through this dance already.
David Quinn is the bridge
Rangers assistant coach David Quinn was the Rangers head coach from 2018 through 2021, in the heart of the first "Letter". He has a specialty with younger players and players that are rising through the ranks of college hockey, juniors, and Europe and beyond. He will be a crucial part of this retool, as Drury does not need to go out and make another $11 million or more-a-year deal for a big fish in free agency, when Quinn can try and grow some talent from the prospect pool. Mika Zibanejad has also had a nice return to form this season, and it is no coincidence it comes during Quinn's first year back behind the bench. The two have a close relationship, and it just speaks to how in the right role Quinn can be a benefit to the franchise.
This franchise has been plagued with a ton of first-round busts, much to when Quinn was the head man. Quinn had a tough situation with drama in the locker room pertaining to Alexandar Georgiev coming to blows with a teammate, an aging core of Marc Staal and Henrik Lundqvist, and just a really poorly put-together team. This team has a lot more talent from the youth, with Gabe Perreault, Noah Laba, Matthew Robertson, and more on the way with the upcoming draft.
Quinn can help grow these kids, and Sullivan can put them in with the right veteran group to really expedite this retooling phase.