The New York Rangers are down four key starters, but defenseman Ryan Lindgren could be on the verge of returning to the ice in time for their matchup against the New Jersey Devils this Saturday.
Long Layover Comes at the Perfect Time for Lindgren’s Recovery Process
Per Mollie Walker of the New York Post, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette anticipates that Lindgren could return to practice today after he took a damaging hit to the boards at the end of their last game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, saying bluntly, “We’ll evaluate and see where he’s at on Wednesday.”
The hit occurred at the 18:32 mark of the third period when Blue Jackets forward Sean Koraly threw a nasty forearm to the head and neck area of Lindgren, instantly dropping him to the ice and sparking a fight.
Lindgren has been out since then, but the Rangers have an additional three days off before heading to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ to take on the Devils.
- Rangers need their elite backup to stick around for at least one more season
- Rangers: Good news and bad news from 6-3 loss against Jets
- Rangers backup goalie set to make second straight start against the NHL’s 1st place team
Lindgren’s Previous Injuries Have Hurt The Rangers in the Win Column
This is the second time Lindgren has been hurt in the young season. He sustained a previous upper-body injury in the Rangers’ season opener against the Buffalo Sabres and his absence led to a 5-3 loss against the same Blue Jackets squad the following game. He bounced back for their next outing, but the Blueshirts miss his presence whenever he is not on the ice.
According to Nick Faria of AM New York, the Rangers are 47-52-17 without Lindgren in the lineup for his career. He is instrumental to New York’s success and his impact goes without saying. Wednesday will be a perfect evaluation to see how ready he is to ramp up activity in hopes of not missing any more regular season action.
