PHILADELPHIA -- As the New York Rangers prepare to go through a roster retool that is expected to include some impact players being traded in the next six-plus weeks, coach Mike Sullivan's message about how they will operate day to day for the rest of this season has not changed.
"The message is that we're going to control what's within our power and that's our effort, our attitude and our intentions when we go on the ice," Sullivan said before the Rangers played the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NBCSP, MSG). "That's where our focus needs to be. The reality is is we're not where we want to be, we're not where we hope to be, and so this is the business side of the game.
"But as players, as coaches, it's our job to do our best to control what we can and we're going to stay in the moment. We're going to try to win every game in front of us, and we're going to try to play the game with pride."
Chris Drury, the Rangers president and general manager, released a letter to the fans on Friday stating they will be retooling the roster around core players while saying goodbye to some who have been a part of their recent successes, such as reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2022 and 2024.
The letter came two days after an 8-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden, their fifth straight loss which has dropped New York into last place in the East with a record of 20-22-6.
"It's probably a fairly common sensical statement to suggest that when you don't meet expectations or you don't have success, then change is inevitable in pro sports," said Sullivan, who is in his first season with the team. "So, I think our team is well aware of that and that's to a certain extent what we all sign up for. I don't know that an acknowledgement of this is something the players haven't already thought about or considered as we go through this.
"We're all human beings. We all understand the business. We all understand the game."
Drury met 1-on-1 with members of the Rangers' leadership group, including forward Artemi Panarin, who is in the last of a seven-year, $81.5 million contract and can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
He reportedly told Panarin that New York will not be offering him another contract but instead will work with the 34-year-old to find a destination where he will have a chance to win the Stanley Cup this season.
Panarin has led the Rangers in scoring in each of his first six seasons with them and is on pace to do so again this season with a team-leading 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) in 47 games. He is ninth all-time in franchise history with 601 points (202 goals, 399 assists) in 477 games.
The NHL Trade Deadline is March 6.
"Teams go through cycles just as far as where core players are at in their career span and where you think they're going to be moving forward," Sullivan said. "It's not easy. This is a competitive league; there's a lot of parity in the League. I think this group has put together a pretty solid run. They went to two conference finals. They gave themselves a chance to win the Stanley Cup, which is the ultimate goal. Teams go through cycles. The way I look at it now at this point is it's just part of the process."
Sullivan said he has had regular communication with Drury throughout the season and in particular the past few days leading up to the release of the letter.
He said his desire to be the coach that sees the team through this transition into becoming Stanley Cup contenders again is unwavering.
"I understand the process," Sullivan said. "What I'll tell you is that I'm all in on trying to help this organization move forward. Chris and I have talked throughout this whole process. We have a very transparent relationship.
"I'm going to try to do everything in my power to try to help this team move forward. I'm going to control what I can and try to be the very best coach I can be for this organization."
