NYR Training Camp: Mike Sullivan Media Availability | October 3, 2025

NYR Training Camp: Mike Sullivan Media Availability | October 3, 2025

this trip. I know obviously you got the preseason game tomorrow, but then you guys are spending some time up in the New England area for a couple days. You know, can you give us any insight into what you plan on or what you’re hoping to get out of it? Well, it’s a little bit of a team building excursion. Uh Chris Jory and I talked about it in the off season. Um we had discussions with our leadership group about it in the offseason, gauging their interest, if they thought that was something that might be beneficial to the group. Um and so you know the feedback that we got from the players was that they this was something that um they would embrace and so we put our heads together to come up with a game plan to try to make that happen. So we’ve got a window of opportunity for you know a couple of days where we’ve got a chance to um spend some time together, get to know one another a little bit better and and hopefully come together as a team. You you talked yesterday, I believe, about or maybe the day before about uh specifically at Marl and you know, young guy being better off perhaps playing more regularized time down there as opposed to, you know, in and out maybe up here and I see Maro and and um Perau were not here. Is that kind of what the thinking was with those two guys? Like Yeah, they’re they’re two young players that you know that we’re extremely excited about. you know, the these guys are in in our estimation are NHL players in the making and, you know, our job is is to try to, you know, create a pathway to try to help them grow and develop and uh to become, you know, what we hope will be the impact players um that that we think they’re capable of being. So, um you know, we’re we’re really excited about about both of those guys. We think they had terrific training camps. um certainly made an impression on everybody and we believe that um you know these guys have the have the potential to um to have a lasting impact on the New York Rangers. So, you know, we’re trying to make the best decisions we can to uh to try to help that process and u and get these guys as close to, you know, pushing their way onto the roster as they can. Mike, I know I’m a few days early with this, but Tuesday night, I’m wondering for you, what’s that going to be like? Is it going to be emotional? Is it going to be weird? Is it going to be I mean, what’s that going to feel like for you when you’re on the bench and you’re starting a journey and you’re against a team with a bunch of players that you’ve walked it with? Yeah, it’s a good question, Dan. I haven’t really I haven’t really thought about what it’s going to be like. Um, you know, I’m sure there’ll be a lot of I’m sure there’ll be a lot of mixed emotions. Um, obviously, you know, the relationships that I built with those guys. Um, were strong and, um, you know, we we had the the privilege of, you know, winning a couple of championships together with some of those guys. And I think when you go through experiences like that, it certainly galvanizes relationships that last a lifetime. And so, um, I’m sure there’ll be mixed emotions. I haven’t really given it a whole lot of thought. I’ve been so immersed in in what what’s going on here with the Rangers every day. Um, what I will tell you is is my focus will be on the Rangers and and and doing our very best to uh set this group up for success. Um, but you know, I’m sure there’ll be I’m sure there’ll be emotions along those lines. How at to this point, how the the plan that you had, the thoughts you had going into camp, have they met reality? Like what have you thought of where you guys are at right now? Is it where you wanted to be at this point? Yeah. So, you know, like I really didn’t uh I I didn’t really plan out um a results type of camp as far as, you know, checking boxes of where we wanted to be. You know, I what my intention going into training camp was to put together a game plan to evaluate the group and what we have. Uh to get a more intimate understanding of every, you know, all the players that are that are here and potentially could make the roster. Um and then implement a game plan um that we will continue to define and refine as we go through the course of the season. And that was that was really the the objective that we set out to accomplish. Um and then the other aspect of it is is like I say to the players all the time, we every day when we come in the rink, our objective is to become a better version of ourselves. So we just want to move the needle every day. And if we can get better every day and feel good about what we accomplish on a given day, then the next day when we come in the rink, we should be a better version of ourselves. And I believe that that we continue to do that. There’s been a lot of enthusiasm around the group that is tangible. Um and for me that’s exciting. It’s rewarding also that they’re embracing, you know, what’s going on. Um we’re excited about, you know, coaching this group of players. We think, you know, we have good people and we have a lot of talent. And um as I said to the players, nothing’s inevitable. We got to go out and earn it and that’s going to be the challenge. But that’s also the fun part is when we do begin that journey when when we’re playing for keeps. Um you know that that’s going to be the process that we go through together. And I’m excited about working with these guys. You know, it’s been it’s been a lot of fun to this point and and I know it will continue to be. And uh but I’ve been really encouraged and excited about just the level of enthusiasm around the group every day. And I think if we continue to have that um we can’t help but get better every day and and I think we’ll see where that takes us. I think we’ve got the opportunity to be a real good team right now. That’s all it is. It’s an opportunity now. We’ve got to go out and earn it. If I I wanted to ask you a little about Will This guy going into his his third year. You had a good rookie year. built on had a better second year. Um, by all indications, it looks like he’s going to be playing very high up in your lineup. Um, you know, what have you seen from him in this training camp and and what would your expectations be of a guy like that? Um, I think what I see of him as the player that he’s been for the last couple years for the Rangers, you know, he’s a he’s a real good north, south, up and down, power forward. Uh, brings a physical edge to his game. uh is really good on the forch check, has decent puck skills and goes to the net. You know, I think he’s his game is straightforward and simple, um but very effective at the same time. He’s uh he’s not easy to play against. Um and I think that’s the player that he’s going to continue to be. I think we’re going to try to push him to uh you know, to become a better version of himself. and and if he does that, we can, you know, we can help him hopefully become a more well-rounded player. Uh sharpen up his game on both sides of the puck and continue to bring um what he’s brought to the Rangers in his first couple of seasons. And I think when you look at how today’s game is being played, it’s very much a north south game. You know, speed is uh uh is an essential component of it of winning hockey anyway. and uh he has the capability of uh of playing that game with his size, his skating ability, his strength, um his willingness to get inside and play in the interior of the rink, go to the blue paint. You know, he’s uh he’s a handful for I think our opponents and and that’s that’s what I would expect he would bring to this group throughout the course of this year. Uh quickly, um um JT obviously back with the with the red jersey on and and Aaron, is that a new injury with our Tammy? No. Okay. Um what’s still several days? Is there a concern at all for our Tammy? Maybe probably more than than JT about opening night or is this a still a day day by day? Yeah, I think it’s just a dayby-day thing at this point, Dan. you know, our hope is that we’ll have them for opening night and we’re trying to air on the side of caution with these guys as we’ve said all along. You know, um our Tammy skated this morning uh before the the team skated and so it’s not that he’s not on the ice, he is. And then we’ll, you know, continue to uh to rehab him um and go through a return to play process that he’s been going through. Uh we’re hopeful that uh you know that he’ll be ready. Uh he’s certainly making strides. Do you How long do you think for JT just need to have that red jersey on? He’s close to shedding that. Do you think it’s a couple days still? Just how close do you think he is to um the fact that he joined the team today I think is a is a real encouraging uh sign. It’s hard for me to put a time frame on, you know, when the red jersey is going to come off. Um but I don’t anticipate it being long. as you sort of formulate your final roster spots here. There’s a couple young guys competing for that final spot, uh, veterans who are in it as well. Just how do you maybe think you you learn to approach those final days in camp, those final battles or roster spots from a player’s perspective? How how does maybe someone learn to navigate that throughout their career? Uh, from a player’s perspective, players perspective or how do you hope they handle it from a coach’s perspective? Well, I think from a player’s perspective and that, you know, that’s something that, you know, we talk with our guys a lot about is is to control the controllables. You know, you and that essentially boils down to your effort, your attitude, your execution. Uh, you know, every time you step on the ice, you know, you you can’t always control um decisions that coaches and management make, but you can certainly influence them with how you you know, how you come to the rink every day. and and so I would expect that they would be good pros and do everything they can to set themselves up for success. Um, you know, and and trust that that that it that approach is going to uh give them the best chance to meet their own individual goals. Okay. 13 or 14, you know, yet? Uh, we haven’t made that final decision yet. All right. Thank you.

New York Rangers Head Coach Mike Sullivan discusses Will Cuylle’s play and his emotions going into Opening Night following practice on October 3, 2025.

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