If you’ve been following the New York Rangers this season—and by “following,” I mean watching warily through your fingers—you’ll know it’s been… less than inspiring. The Rangers are currently ranked 12th in the overall NHL standings and have a total of 79 points. And yet, amidst the mediocrity, one player has managed to push his way to the top…of the Rangers record books.
Will Cuylle etched his name into Rangers history this week, breaking the Rangers’ all-time single-season record for hits, previously held by Ryan Callahan. Cuylle is now at 290 and counting, averaging nearly 15 hits per 60 minutes—14th best in the league among players with at least 50 games. Not all of them have made highlight reels, but they’ve made their mark. “You can’t kill guys every game,” he said with a smirk, “but it adds up. By Game 6 or 7, no D-man wants to get hit anymore.”
A #NYR franchise record for Cools. pic.twitter.com/hlv5KTNpen
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 10, 2025
Cuylle isn’t one to do things halfway. That much was clear when he flattened Vegas’ Alex Pietrangelo in February and immediately dropped the gloves with Nicolas Hague—an explosively viral moment that’s been recirculating online ever since. It also probably didn’t hurt his chances when New York Rangers fans chose him as the 2024-25 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner, the kind of honor usually reserved for players who give their all every single shift. And Cuylle has been doing just that—and then some.
In a season where the Rangers have often looked lost, Cuylle’s been one of the very few constants. He’s having a better year than almost anyone else on the roster—more goals, more responsibility, and yes, more bruises handed out. He’s also up for a new contract this summer, and if New York Rangers management has been paying attention, they’ll know what fans already do: Cuylle may not be the flashiest player on the ice, but right now, he’s the one who’s shown up when it counted.
“Extend his contract, cowards”: New York Rangers fans react to Cuylle’s record
But the hits keep coming for the Rangers, on and off the ice. While Cuylle was quietly steamrolling his way into the team’s history books, the fanbase was busy processing the emotional whiplash of a record-breaking performance in a season where everything else has mostly gone sideways.
Some responses were heartfelt, if a little defeated. “Please… I know it’s your job… but nothing is making the fans get excited at this point,” one fan wrote. “The team bailed on the fans and now we have a long way to go waiting for the next season, new hope.” The fan added, venting their frustration at the Rangers’ social media team in what seems like a sincere plea to stop ignoring the elephant in the room, i.e., the Rangers are ranked 12th!!!
Others praised Cuylle for being the one silver lining in an otherwise forgettable year. “One of the very few positives to take from this disaster of a season,” another said. “Hope to see him continue on an upward trajectory.” A valid point, especially when you remember he had a handful of goals disallowed early on.
Of course, no Rangers debate is complete without contract talk: “Then extend his contract COWARDS,” declared one particularly commanding fan, who might truly believe that the New York Rangers don’t know how to see what’s good for them at this point.
And finally, the ever-succinct: “Too bad he’s on a team that gives up.” Ouch, but maybe tough love genuinely works for New Yorkers?
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