The New York Rangers are playing their best hockey right now and are about to get a key piece back to complete their championship-caliber roster…in a couple of days.
Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant confirmed that defenseman Ryan Lindgren would miss his 10th straight game Sunday night against Nashville, but a return is on the horizon.
“I would bet a lot on the next game (for a return)” Gallant said. “We have a pretty good record since he’s been out so there’s no sense rushing it. We’re on the cautious side.”
Lindgren had missed the last 10 games due to an upper-body injury he suffered back on February 25th against Washington. It’s been a touch-and-go month of March for the Rangers as they have tried to replace Lindgren’s presence as a lock-down defender. New York may have gone 7-3 without him, but Lindgren’s absence has been felt in more ways than one. Even with linemate, Adam Fox recording eight points in his last 10 games, the return of Lindgren would give the Rangers the healthiest, and most complete lineup they have had since the trade for Patrick Kane early in March.
New York’s next game would be against Carolina in a home-and-home battle that could determine seeding in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Rangers trail New Jersey by just five points and the Hurricanes by eight. With Lindgren expected back for Tuesday, the Rangers could get a major boost on the defensive end.
And while the team is expected to face a depleted Nashville Predators team without key players like Roman Josi and Ryan Johansen, New York will still be down their best overall defender.
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