When former team president and general manager Jeff Gorton acquired a 2020 second round pick from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Lias Andersson, nobody knew what the return would be. As it turned out, the New York Rangers made a great selection by taking Will Cuylle with the number 60 pick.

In 2021-22, Cuylle helped lead the Windsor Spitfires to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Finals. On a team that featured future Stars 2021 first round pick Wyatt Johnston, the Spitfires went 44-17-0-7 under former Ranger Marc Savard. Johnston led the Spitfires in goals (46) and points (124). Cuylle ranked second in goals with 43 and third in points with 80. In the postseason, he paced Windsor in goals (15) and ranked second behind Johnston (14-27-41) in scoring with 31 points.

That same year, he also represented Canada at the World Junior Championships (WJC). He posted two goals and two assists in seven games. Cuylle also racked up 25 penalty minutes.

A feisty player who indicated that he patterned his game after Washington Capitals power forward Tom Wilson, the Toronto native spent his first pro season with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 2022-23, he had a team-high 25 goals and added 20 assists for 45 points to rank second in team scoring behind Jonny Brodzinski (21-27-48). In the Calder Cup Playoffs, Cuylle had two goals and an assist over nine games. At 21, he was done playing in the AHL.

Cuylle Makes Good First Impression

Following a strong training camp, Cuylle made a good first impression on Rangers coach Peter Laviolette. He liked Cuylle’s bite to his game. In his rookie season, he carved out a secondary role on a roster that featured established stars Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, Igor Shesterkin, Mika Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider. Cuylle spent most of 2023-24 playing on the third line. Despite not always receiving a lot of ice time, he scored 13 goals and added eight assists for a total of 21 points in 81 games. It was the gritty Cuylle who paced the Blueshirts in hits (249). His 56 penalty minutes ranked fourth on the team.

On a club that won the Presidents’ Trophy, Cuylle played in all 16 games in the postseason. He had a goal and assist along with 46 hits. Most notably, Cuylle was a plus-3. He proved to be a dependable forward in his own zone. Perhaps Laviolette took notice.

Cuylle Emerges in Second Year

In his second year, Cuylle has quickly emerged for the Blueshirts. While continuing to play on a cohesive third line that until recently had featured Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko, he has seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in his first 18 games.

With another goal on Thursday night against the Calgary Flames in a 3-2 loss, Cuylle is tied with Alexis Lafreniere for third in team scoring. He ranks fourth in goals and is second behind Panarin in even strength points with 15 (7-8-15). Cuylle is leading the Rangers with 75 hits. Vincent Trocheck is second with 65. On a roster that isn’t known for its physicality, the six-foot three, 211-pound left wing supplies the energy. He also has been defensively responsible with his plus-13 rating tied with defenseman Braden Schneider for the team lead.

More often than not, you notice Cuylle during shifts. He makes things happen due to his tenacious style. A good skater who never passes up an opportunity to finish a check, Cuylle is very effective on the forecheck. His size and strength creates space for his linemates. It’s a big reason for the third line’s success. Before an upper-body injury prevented Chytil from playing the last three games, the trio of Cuylle, Chytil, and Kakko had outscored opponents 11-0. Their unique blend of skill, speed, and strength has made them a key factor to the Rangers’ 12-5-1 start.

While the big scoring line of Panarin, Trocheck, and Lafreniere gets most of the ink, no line has been more consistent than Cuylle, Chytil, and Kakko. Even with Brodzinski filling in, they’ve had some success. However, they miss Chytil’s explosiveness and creativity.

In a game when they were badly outplayed, Cuylle was exactly where he needed to be on the Rangers’ game-tying goal last night. He followed up a Lafreniere goal by tipping in a K’Andre Miller shot past Flames rookie netminder Dustin Wolf. He does his best work in front. He continues to excel at driving to the net. That’s a big reason for his growth as a player. With seven goals, he’s on pace to score a lot more than the 13 he debuted with last season.

Developing Into a Leader

For a second-year player who’s only 22, Cuylle doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind. Following the Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Flames, he referenced their bad start. Noting that they weren’t good in the first period, which echoed his coach in the postgame, he emphasized that the team plays best when they keep it simple and recover pucks.

That would be making smarter puck decisions and managing the game. There’s been too many instances where they haven’t played up to their standards. MSG studio analyst Steve Valiquette was quick to point out how off the Rangers’ passing was between the defensemen and forwards. As a result, the Flames were much faster and attacked at will. For the game, they outshot the Rangers 49-29. That included 20-5 in a lopsided first period. Shesterkin did enough to keep them in it. He turned aside 46 of 49 shots in the defeat.

If there’s one takeaway early, it’s that Cuylle is good at assessing things. For a young player to have that quality, it shows a lot of maturity. He won’t turn 23 until next Feb. 5. On an experienced team that has plenty of veterans including captain Jacob Trouba, Cuylle is developing into a leader. It’s not only what he says but how he goes about doing it.

A Bright Future

As he continues to progress, Cuylle has a bright future. Maybe the comparisons to Wilson aren’t too far off. He’s a tough player who’s willing to go into battle. He’s already making a dramatic improvement in the scoring department. If he can keep it up, there’s no question that Cuylle will be a key to the Rangers’ season.