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Here was Mike Sullivan at his introductory press conference at the training facility Thursday pretty much taking the words out of his once-removed predecessor Gerard Gallant’s mouth from his post-Game 7 press conference at the Rock from nearly two years ago to the day. 

On May 1, 2023, in the aftermath of a 4-0 Game 7, first-round defeat to the Devils, Gallant was asked about losing the series with a lineup that was packed with talent that included Patrick Kane and Vlad Tarasenko. 

“Talent doesn’t mean a thing,” the coach said. “It’s great to have talent, but you’d love to have a work ethic and more forechecking and stuff like that, and we just didn’t get it done.” 

Five days later, Gallant and the Rangers “parted ways.” But now, and two years after Peter Laviolette’s stay behind the bench was term-limited following a crash-and-burn 2024-25, here was Sullivan talking about the team he has inherited.