Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Head coach Mike Sullivan doesn’t hold back while calling out the New York Rangers defenseman after being asked about how Adam Fox’s absence is hurting the team.
Mike Sullivan didn’t hide behind Adam Fox’s LTIR when he got asked why the New York Rangers have looked leaky lately. He praised Fox, then pointed the finger at the whole group.
Sullivan flat-out said Foxy is elite and doesn’t get enough credit for how hard he competes defensively. That part matters because Fox is the guy who calms every breakout before chaos starts.
The injury timeline is the brutal part too, LTIR means at least 10 games and 24 days. For a blue line already wobbling, that’s basically a month of survival hockey.
The part that stings is Sullivan saying Fox isn’t the only reason, and that the team has to «make more of a commitment» to defense. That’s a coach telling the room to stop cheating for offense.
Mike Sullivan wants New York Rangers commitment
Fans are tired of the same movie, a bad turnover, a lost net front, and Igor Shesterkin left staring at a backdoor tap-in.
Without Fox, the first pass is slower and the exits get messy, so the forwards swing lower and everyone’s spacing collapses. That’s how you end up defending for 45 seconds, then taking a penalty.
You can see it in the scores, too many nights where three goals isn’t enough, like Monday’s 5-3 loss in Anaheim. The margin for error is basically gone.
The Winter Classic was supposed to be a reset, a 5-1 pop with Mika Zibanejad lighting it up. Instead, it turned into a reminder of how fragile this roster is when one pillar drops.
If Fox can get back before the hole becomes a crater, this can still stabilize. Until then, every game is a test of pride, and the next one is where the fans will demand a response.
Previously on NY Hockey Insider