Rangers implement Mike Sullivan’s zone defense in camp as roster trims begin
New system focuses on zone reads, energy efficiency in the defensive zone, while the club reduces its camp roster to 48
On the first day of training camp, Rangers center Vincent Trocheck described Mike Sullivan’s new defensive system as a zone defense that reduces skating in the defensive zone and emphasizes handoffs. Trocheck, an alternate captain, said the approach allows players to conserve energy for offense while denying time and space to opponents in the D-zone. "It's not like a man-on-man system; it's read and react, with players staying in their areas," he said. "Any time you do turn the puck over, you might not have the legs to get to offense. In this system, it’s more reading and reacting. You’re in your area basically." The system, Trocheck added, is a quadrant defense similar to the one ex-head coach Peter Laviolette ran, but Sullivan's version gives the opposition less space, where the wingers can still cut off the leading pass from the defense.
"If there is a breakdown," he continued, "there’s situations where you have to read and react. The center is kind of the guy who is in the middle of the ice reading everything. And if there is an opportunity to jump on a puck, we go."
Artemi Panarin (lower-body injury) did not participate in the third day of training camp on Saturday.
The Rangers trimmed the roster to 48 after Saturday’s session, assigning Gavin Hain, Kyle Jackson, Zakary Karpa, Sullivan Mack, Chris Merisier-Ortiz, Cooper Moore, Hugo Ollas and Callum Tung to training camp in Hartford. Raoul Boilard, Artem Gonchar and Evan Passmore were returned to their respective junior teams. Tim Lovell and Corbin Vaughan were also released from their tryouts.
These moves come as the organization continues to refine its depth while evaluating how the new zone structure translates to on-ice performance and team identity for Sullivan’s Rangers.
