Mike Sullivan explains drastic mid-game shift away from five-forward power play and fans aren't happy

Ever since Adam Fox landed on LTIR with a separated shoulder, Sullivan leaned on five forwards to fill the offensive void. At times the group generated strong puck movement, yet the results never matched the looks. Against the Blackhawks, the hesitation and misreads became too glaring to ignore, prompting Sullivan to insert a defenseman on the top unit for the first time since Fox went down.

In his postgame comments, Sullivan described the unit's recent stretch as «a mixed bag.» He pointed to moments where the forwards looked dangerous, then sequences where possession stalled or structure unraveled at the blue line.

Entries became messy, retrievals inconsistent and Chicago forced rushed decisions that left New York chasing plays instead of dictating them. Without Fox walking the line or setting tempo, the overload approach lost its rhythm. Sullivan's adjustment felt less like a reaction and more like the natural next step.

He stressed that the switch was not a permanent move, but rather an attempt to stabilize a unit that had flattened out. Adding a defenseman restored balance, especially in transition, and allowed the forwards to simplify their roles in the zone.

With Fox still weeks away from returning, Sullivan now faces a real choice. Stick with the five-forward concept and hope chemistry grows, or pivot to a more traditional setup built around structure rather than skill alone.