New York Rangers drastically shake up power play units as Adam Fox injury forces five-forward look

Fox landed on long-term injured reserve earlier this week with a week-to-week upper-body issue, and the ripple hit the special-teams units immediately. This resulted in Mike Sullivan shifting to an aggressive five-forward setup that puts the team's best finishers on the ice together.

Mika Zibanejad moves high in the umbrella while Artemi Panarin slides into Fox's old left-side elbow spot. The coaches want speed, deception and more immediate shooting threats, something Fox's patience usually provided in a different way. Without him, the puck needs to move faster.

The second unit saw a full makeover too, Scott Morrow stepping in as the lone defenseman. That group now features Alexis Lafrenière, Conor Sheary, Jonny Brodzinski and Noah Laba, an energy-heavy mix that Sullivan clearly wants pushing pace rather than holding the puck.

As a fan, I love the ambition here because New York needed a spark on the advantage. The five-forward look can be risky, especially when clearing the puck under pressure, but it also keeps your best scorers involved every shift. If the top group controls entries cleanly, the setup should produce quick-strike chances from the slot.

The risk is obvious. Without Fox's poise and retrieval instincts, one bobble above the circles can spring an odd-man rush. That is where Zibanejad's underrated defensive reads become essential. He has carried penalty-kill minutes for years.

For now, this is a necessary gamble, as Fox will return eventually, but until he does, the Rangers need goals and rhythm. Sullivan is betting that loading skill onto one unit will get them there faster.

The coming week will show whether this bold move stabilizes the team or sparks another round of changes.