Why power play can be ‘difference maker’ for Rangers with healthy Adam Fox
It’s safe to say Mike Sullivan doesn’t believe it’s mere coincidence that the New York Rangers are humming on the power play since Adam Fox returned from a month-long injury absence last week.
They’re 3-for-4 on the power play the past two games with Fox back in the lineup. That includes a pair of power-play goals in their 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers in the 2026 NHL Winter Classic in Miami on Friday, and one by Fox — an absolute missile — in his lineup return New Years Eve against the Washington Capitals.
Fox missed 14 games after he sustained an upper-body injury Nov. 29 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Without their quarterback manning the point on PP1, the Rangers largely went with a five-forward group. Overall, the Rangers managed six power-play goals on 39 opportunities in those 14 games. One was a 4-on-3 overtime goal by J.T. Miller, and two were scored by the second unit.
So, yes, the Rangers sorely missed Fox on the power play. And their coach notices the difference now that the 27-year-old defenseman is back.
“The power play really was starting to hit its stride when ‘Foxy’ got hurt,” Sullivan explained Sunday. “I think it shows you the impact that Foxy has on our power play. He has the ability to settle things down. He has a high panic threshold back there. Just his poise with the puck, his decision making, his ability to see the ice, and execution skills.
“The fact that we got him back into the mix and they haven’t seemed to miss a beat is huge for us. I think it can be a difference maker for us game-in and game-out.”
Despite a slow start this season, and distinct downturn in the 14 games without Fox, New York’s power play is tied for 10th in the NHL, converting at 21.2 percent. To Sullivan’s point, the Rangers scored eight power-play goals in 10 games preceding Fox’s injury, and picked up right where it left off once he returned.
“It’s one aspect of our game that has the ability to be a difference maker for us in helping us win,” Sullivan stated. “The last game [against the Panthers] is a perfect example. Special teams play a big role in their ability to influence the outcomes. … I think Foxy is a really important part of that.”
Considering that the Rangers (20-18-5) struggle to score at even strength, yet are right in the thick of the playoff race in the tight Eastern Conference, a revived power play could be what pushes them over the top. One need only look back to what a massive difference maker the power play was for the Rangers from 2021-24. The Rangers reached the postseason three straight seasons and ranked fourth in the NHL on the power play (25.2 percent) in that time frame.
Rangers coach believes Adam Fox’s defensive play ‘flies under the radar’
Fox’s value to the Rangers extends beyond his power-play contributions, though. He’s third on the Rangers with 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in 29 games, despite missing nearly one-third of their games to date. Eighteen of those points are at even strength, nine on the power play, and one is short-handed.
To borrow a commonly-used line from TV informercials: But wait, there’s more!
“I think his defensive game flies under the radar a little bit sometimes because it’s easy to point to his offensive game being the strength of his overall game,” Sullivan said Monday, ahead of New York’s home game against the Utah Mammoth. “We think he’s had an overall solid complete game back there.”
Fox averages more than 23 minutes TOI per game, and partners with Vladislav Gavrikov to form one of the top defense pairs in the entire League. Among defense pairs that played at least 475 minutes together 5v5 this season, none has a better xGF percentage than Fox and Gavrikov (59.4 percent).
Fox’s 60.60 percent expected goal share, per Natural Stat Trick, is best on the Rangers and speaks to his outstanding play on both sides of the puck.
“I think his defensive game is underrated a little bit,” Sullivan said. “He’s not the biggest guy in the world. He’s not the fastest guy in the world. But he’s hockey strong … he wins puck battles.”
