The Rangers have been grappling with the challenge of creating a cohesive third line for a while now, but the new head coach, Mike Sullivan, has a specific vision in mind. 

As Mika Zibanejad is set to begin the season on the right wing alongside J.T. Miller in the top six, the team requires a strong third-line center who can lead a reliable group capable of playing effectively on both offense and defense. 

Sullivan expressed that he plans to give Juuso Parssinen a “significant” chance to capture this role, following the 24-year-old Finn’s signing of a two-year contract with the Rangers this summer. 

“I think the third line has the ability to create an identity amongst our team where we can rely on that line for conscientious play,” the new bench boss said at the start of training camp. “And what I mean by that is, can they get defensive zone starts against another team’s top line? If they lose the draw, can they be reliable and trustworthy to defend hard and limit our opponent’s offense? Do they have the ability to drive the puck down the ice and create momentum and control territory for us so that we could potentially set up our offensive guys for success in the offensive zone?