Will Cuylle is set to make his first career appearance at center, a position he has never played during his time with the New York Rangers, their AHL affiliate, or in his junior hockey career. This move comes as the Rangers continue to grapple with significant depth issues at center.
Head coach Mike Sullivan placed Cuylle on the third line during a recent practice, skating between wingers Eeli Tolvanen and Oliver Bjorkstrand. This adjustment highlights the team's persistent struggle to fill the center position, leading to experiments with players in unfamiliar roles.
Cuylle expressed confidence in his ability to take faceoffs, noting a 53.8% success rate this season. He has also previously performed duties as a low forward and adapted to center responsibilities on the fly. However, playing center full-time presents a different challenge.
"Will has a lot of the qualities and the attributes that I think would allow him to be effective at that position," Sullivan said. "He can skate. He has good size. He can lean on people down low. He takes faceoffs regularly. … And so we felt this time we’d try to effect a little bit of change to see if we can create a little bit more momentum for our group."
The Rangers' lack of center depth was apparent even before the season began, with only four centers on the initial roster. Injuries, such as Joe Veleno’s, led to temporary recalls and the signing of veteran Luke Glendening, while Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller have been the primary centers for the top two lines. The team has also seen struggles from Noah Laba, a young center who has shown potential but has recorded only four points this season and a concerning expected goals for percentage.
Unlike previous seasons where multiple natural centers were available, the Rangers currently do not have any centers playing on the wing. Sullivan and his staff have explored contingency plans, deeming Cuylle capable of shifting to center if necessary, though he acknowledged the decision is not permanent.
Cuylle's message from Sullivan was to "trust your instincts." He anticipates the primary adjustments will involve faceoffs and defensive zone coverage, areas where he believes his responsible defensive play can contribute to "killing plays" in the defensive zone.
Despite the positional change, Cuylle aims to maintain his physical style of play, entering the recent game seventh in the league with 62 hits. He also intends to remain defensively responsible and continue to contribute offensively, having already scored four goals and four assists this season. Sullivan expressed optimism about Cuylle's potential in the new role, stating, "I think he’s excited about the opportunity. He thinks he can be good at it, and I tend to agree with him."