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The New York Rangers failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025. The team is now under the watch of veteran head coach Mike Sullivan, who came over from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sullivan is tasked with returning this team to competitive hockey. Their work begins this offseason, and one item on the agenda is the contract status of Will Cuylle.
Cuylle emerged as an important part of New York's roster during the 2024-25 campaign. He scored 20 goals and 45 points in 82 games this season. The 23-year-old Toronto native received a massive jump in playing time, skating over 15 minutes a night. He was a major bright spot for a Rangers team that didn't have many of them.
Cuylle offers more on the ice than offensive upside, as well. The Rangers winger is also one of the most physical players in the game already. He recorded 301 hits during the 2024-25 campaign. This made him one of five players who recorded 300 or more hits this past year. And this is something teams around the NHL covet.
Cuylle is a restricted free agent this summer. The Rangers own his rights, but other teams could put in an offer sheet if they can get him to agree to terms. With this in mind, here are three of the best destinations for the Toronto native in NHL Free Agency.
Red Wings need a player like Will Cuylle
The Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs this season like the Rangers did. Detroit has not made the postseason in nine years running. The Red Wings have many needs this offseason. Wing depth could certainly improve, for instance. However, their biggest need is one of Cuylle's biggest strengths: physicality.
Detroit is not a team that is all-too-difficult team to play against. They have some players who play with an edge. In saying this, the Red Wings had an issue with getting its players to get stuck in. The coaching staff routinely called on the players to get in passing and shooting lanes as well has putting in work along the boards.
The Red Wings need a player like Cuylle, and they have the means to make it happen. Detroit has the financial capability to sign him. And they have the draft picks necessary to complete an offer sheet. A contract worth a little north of $4.6 million would cost the Red Wings a second round pick. With how strapped the Rangers are, it may be enough to keep New York from matching.
Bruins are a fit for Rangers' Will Cuylle
There are teams that need physicality like the Red Wings. These are teams who lack an edge on the ice, which can keep them from success. However, there are teams that desire physicality. It does not matter whether they need an edge, they want players who are buzzsaws on the ice. The Boston Bruins fit in this latter category.
Cuylle fits what the Bruins love to do more than the vast majority of players. He will hit anything that moves and could score 50 points every season. Boston is headed toward a rebuild and could use young players to lead the way. Cuylle fits their potential timeline while having some untapped potential Boston may be able to unlock.
The Bruins have the financial means to bring him in. However, there is a complication at play. If they want to offer sheet him at the second-round pick threshold, they would need swing a trade for their original selection. In any event, the fit makes sense for both sides.
Wild need depth on the wings
The Minnesota Wild are an intriguing team. They have a lot of skill through the likes of Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov. Moreover, they have some physicality in the form of Marcus Foligno and Yakov Trenin. On the surface, they have what Cuylle already brings to the ice.
However, this team is in need of serious wing depth. Especially at the top of the lineup. Minnesota needs players who can eat top-six minutes and bump the likes of Mats Zuccarello down the lineup. Cuylle is not an immediate top-six option, to be fair. But he can play on the second line in a pinch. And he has the potential to become a top-six option down the line.
Cuylle could be on the verge of a legitimate breakout campaign. The Rangers forward plays a brand of hockey that will be coveted by teams pushing to make the postseason on a consistent basis. The Wild are one of these teams, and as a result, they are a team to watch in these sweepstakes once NHL Free Agency begins.
