After the incredible finish to the men's hockey side of the 2026 Olympic Games, the focus is now back onto New York Rangers hockey. There are 25 games to see what exactly this team has to offer, especially since there is not much to play for.
"The Letter 2.0" hit the web weeks ago, and every single Rangers fan knows exactly what that means for the next few seasons. It is rebuild, or re-tool, time, and the uphill battle begins once again. But, there is a silver lining here, and it resides behind the Blueshirts bench.
Mike Sullivan, who coached the United States men to their third ever gold medal at the Olympics, made all of the right calls with the best players possible. There is something to be said that the shortcomings of the Rangers this season are not a result of bad leadership from their head coach.
It has to be something else.
Sullivan can lead this team back to the playoffs
Whilst Sullivan was the head man in Pittsburgh, there was never really a situation like the one he is about to enter with the Rangers. He had Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Marc-Andre Fleury putting on a clinic for a seven-year stretch of Stanley Cup-contending hockey. There was never a doubt or a second-guess that his team wasn't going to play competitively every single game of the 82-game season.
It wasn't until his last three seasons that the Penguins were unable to make the playoffs, and at that point, it wasn't a re-tooling period but going out there with the roster they had and hoping that "Sid the Kid" could go all-out every night.
But, with this retool, Sullivan can redeem his misfortunes with the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh. If anyone can bring this Rangers team out of the bottom of the NHL standings, it is Sullivan. We all just saw how great a coach he is with the Team USA gold medal victory over Canada.
Drury has to swing for the fences with the phone
Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury has to use this Trade Deadline on March 6 and the offseason free-agency period to bring the best talent to New York. It is possible, considering Artemi Panarin came to the Rangers in their first rebuilding stage. This team needs help in all three stages, including a reliable and youthful, more reliable back-up goaltender.
If the right pieces are put out on the ice, Sullivan can lead this team back to the playoffs. There is no doubt that he want's to stay with this franchise, and this fanbase should be thanful that he is still the coach. These next two seasons are going to be either very rough and unbearable to watch, or a spectacle, as the re-tooling period could be as quick of a turnaround as this upcoming October.