Adam Fox is just as happy to be back on the ice for the New York Rangers as his team is after returning from an upper-body injury that kept him out for 10 games this season.
Though he has given the Rangers steady production since his return, Fox still has some loosening up to do before getting back to 100 percent as he openly admitted.
Rangers: Adam Fox is Dialed in on Letting His Feel For the Game Return to Him
As New York Post reporter Andrew Crane detailed, letting his rhythm come back to him is one of Fox’s primary focuses:
“He doesn’t want to mess up any rhythm. Instead, he’ll gradually let the different reads — when to jump in offensively, when to stay back — materialize naturally,” Crane said. ‘You don’t want to be an idiot out there at first when you come back,” Fox said Tuesday night, “and be jumping in and that’s not the right time.’”
Fox’s playmaking has not taken a hit due to rust. In his second game back from injury against the Nashville Predators on Dec. 2, Fox dialed in a season-high three assists. He’s since added four more to his season tally over the course of his last five games.
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Fox’s Confidence is Gradually Increasing With More Time on the Ice
Aside from the numbers, Fox is taking a patient approach to getting his defensive instincts back up to snuff. Encouragingly, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said that Fox is gaining confidence in adjusting to the speed of the game once more.
The Rangers are 19-7-1, good for first in the Metropolitan Division and fourth overall in the NHL. Their defense has conceded 78 goals on the year and will look to turn that around with Fox entrenched in the lineup.