The New York Rangers’ star stud top-six forwards grabbed plenty of attention for carrying the team to victories throughout last season. However, the Rangers didn’t just win the President’s Trophy thanks to their talent on their first two lines. Down the bottom six, a couple of key contributors helped grind dirty time on ice and keep the wins coming.
Will Cuylle became an important member of the Rangers’ lineup as a rookie
Featured in the bottom six is rookie winger Will Cuylle. The physical 22-year-old forward flew under the radar as he developed into a core member of the Rangers bottom six last season. Cuylle played an important role on New York’s third-line left wing.
Although he might not put up an abundance of points, Cuylle still made a tremendous impact in games throughout the course of the Rangers’ regular season and playoff run. The youngster brings a level of physicality and aggression to the ice that few in the Blueshirts’ lineup possess.
After receiving minimal playing time as a prospect in the 2022-21 season, Cuylle’s rookie season officially began in 2023-24. This season, Cuylle ranked seventh in the NHL with 247 hits. He totaled 21 points (13 goals and eight assists) in 81 games played as he earned the trust of head coach Peter Labette as a rookie.
Fellow third-line mate Kaapo Kakko shared praise for Cuylle during the regular season, citing the rookie’s physicality on the ice as a reason for excitement:
“He’s physical, he can skate, good shot… Big boy, good for the playoffs,” Kakko said to The New York Post. “Physicality, I would say, is the biggest thing. He finishes the hits, which is a big thing also. I think just keep doing the same things, it’s the same game, just a little more physical, I would say, and it’s good for him.”
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The future is bright for the 22-year-old forward
While Cuylle’s rookie season showed plenty of promise, he is far from a finished product. But that should only help fuel more excitement for the third-line winger. Cuylle is still growing in his skill set and has the potential to develop into a core member of this team for many years to come.
Once Cuylle develops his shooting and playmaking skills a bit further, combined with his physical skating nature, he could become a true weapon and a two-way player. He already does an excellent job of tiring out opposing teams while grinding ugly time on ice to give the Rangers’ top six a minute to breathe. Once he becomes a scoring weapon in his own right, Cuylle could become one of the team’s most valuable players in a few years’ time.
