Here are the latest news and possible return dates for Rangers players…
June 1, 11:50 a.m.
It looks like Blake Wheeler will be sidelined against for the Rangers’ win-or-go-home Game 6 matchup with the Florida Panthers.
The veteran winger did not participate in Saturday’s morning skate because he’s a little banged up after his return to the lineup during Game 4 earlier this week.
No lineup decisions have been made official yet, but it’s looking like Johnny Brodzinski may slot in on the fourth line in place of scrappy rookie Matt Rempe.
Additionally, fourth-line winger Jimmy Vesey was able to re-join the team during the morning skate donning a non-contact jersey.
Vesey was ruled week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury during Game 2, so he’d only potentially be a factor if New York is able to advance to the Finals.
May 16, 11:30 a.m.
Good news, Rangers fans: Chris Kreider is officially good to go for Thursday’s Game 6 road matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 33-year-old missed Wednesday’s practice due to maintenance reasons, but he was able to return to the ice on Thursday for the team’s optional morning skate.
While head coach Peter Laviolette wouldn’t confirm if Kreider would be in the starting lineup, the star winger went ahead and deemed himself ready to roll.
Kreider has been spectacular for the Rangers during the postseason, recording four goals and three assists across nine games.
May 6, 12:06 p.m.
Rangers forward Blake Wheeler, who suffered a lower-body injury against the Montreal Canadiens in the middle of February before being placed on LTIR, is back on the ice.
Wheeler was skating at practice on Monday in a red, non-contact jersey.
The 37-year-old Wheeler — in his first season in New York — had nine goals and 12 assists in 54 games before suffering his injury.
It is not yet known how close Wheeler might be to a potential return.
The Rangers are up, 1-0, in their second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, with Game 2 set for Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
May 4, 11:00 a.m.
Rangers fan, you can exhale now.
Defenseman Adam Fox was back on the ice for Saturday morning’s practice after missing the previous two due to what the team described as maintenance days.
Head coach Peter Laviolette has been extremely vague when asked about Fox’s status over the past few days.
The New York native, of course, did take a knee-to-knee hit from Washington’s Nick Jansen during Game 4 of their opening-round series but it’s unknown if that’s what caused his absence.
Nonetheless, it appears the Blueshirts’ top-line defenseman is unsurprisingly ready to roll for what figures to be a tough second-round matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes.
April 26, 12:20 p.m.
Center Alex Wennberg was back on the ice for the Rangers’ optional morning skate after missing Thursday’s practice due to maintenance purposes.
Wennberg told reporters, including Dan Rosen of NHL.com, that he’s “good to go” for Friday night’s Game 3 matchup with the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.
“Just a maintenance day,” he said. “It was just one of those days and now I’m taking the morning skate getting ready for the game, nothing special about it.”
Filip Chytil, who traveled with the team for the two-game trip to DC, skated in Wennberg’s place during Thursday’s practice, but it appears he’ll remain out of the lineup for the time being.
Wennberg has just five points since being acquired in a trade with the Seattle Kraken ahead of the deadline, but he’s slotted in tremendously alongside Kaapo Kakko and Will Cuylle on New York’s third line.
April 1, 11:21 a.m.
Defenseman Erik Gustafsson was back at practice on Monday, skating in a non-contact jersey, per Larry Brooks of The New York Post.
He has been out due to an upper-body injury after last playing on March 23.
Once Gustafsson returns, the Rangers will have their full complement of defensemen.
Both Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren returned from injury last week.
March 28, 1:32 p.m.
For the second straight practice, both Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren participated in the Rangers’ morning skate in regular jerseys. For Lindgren, it was his third consecutive practice.
Both defensemen have been out with lower-body injuries, but their return to the ice appears imminent. In fact, if the defensive pairings at practice are any indication, Lindgren could possibly be back Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche.
After his injury on March 17, Lindgren was expected to miss a few weeks.
March 26, 11:39 a.m.
Jacob Trouba was back at practice for the Rangers on Tuesday for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury on March 4.
Ryan Lindgren — dealing with a lower-body injury as well — was also back on the ice on Tuesday after returning to practice on Monday.
Lindgren and Trouba had resumed skating on their own last week.
There is no exact timetable for a return for either, but the initial expectation was that each player would miss a few weeks.
March 19, 11:33 a.m.
Jacob Trouba, who has been out since March 4 due to a lower-body injury, has taken a big step toward his return.
Trouba has resumed skating on his own, head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters, adding that the Rangers will take their time as Trouba gets back into game shape.
Chris Drury said on March 8 that Trouba was expected to miss two-to-three weeks.
In addition to Trouba, the Rangers are without another key part of their defense.
Ryan Lindgren suffered a lower-body injury over the weekend and is expected to be out for a few weeks.
“It’s listed as a few weeks, and so, that’s a good thing,” Laviolette said. “When you watch somebody leave the ice like that and they come back and tell you that it might be two or three weeks, that’s some good news.
“He’s been such a good player for us, it’s tough. But we’ll make sure he’s healthy. We won’t rush him back. Make sure he’s ready to go when he’s ready to go.”
March 18, 5:10 p.m.
Ryan Lindgren is expected to miss “a few weeks” after suffering a lower-body injury during Sunday afternoon’s game against the New York Islanders.
Lindgren was forced to the locker room late in the second period and was quickly ruled out after getting tangled up along the boards with J.G. Pageau.
The initial fear was that the scrappy defenseman suffered a serious injury as he wasn’t able to put any weight on his left leg, however, it appears he’s avoided the worst.
Lindgren’s status for the postseason is still TBD but he is expected to make a full recovery.
Recently acquired defenseman Chad Ruhwedel could slot into the lineup in the meantime, but 24-year-old Brandon Scanlin has also been recalled from AHL-Hartford to provide some depth.
March 17, 3:07 p.m.
Defenseman Ryan Lindgren got tangled up with the Islanders’ Jean-Gabriel Pageau in the second period Sunday at Madison Square Garden and was forced to exit the game with an apparent lower-body injury.
Lindgren stayed down on the ice and needed to be helped off and appeared not to put any weight on his left leg. He did not return after the second intermission and was later ruled out for the remainder of Sunday’s game.
Lindgren had an assist and was a plus-one in 13:06 minutes before exiting.
March 8, 5:00 p.m.
Rangers GM Chris Drury told reporters Friday that defenseman Jacob Trouba, who is dealing with a lower-body injury, will be out for 2-3 weeks.
After missing Thursday’s practice, Trouba was trending in the wrong direction, missing Friday’s practice as well.
The news comes at an unfortunate time for the Blueshirts who are about to enter a stretch of seven games in 11 days beginning on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues and will be without their captain during the entirety of that span.
March 8, 11:02 am.
Jacob Trouba was not at Rangers practice for a second straight day on Friday as the defenseman is still dealing with a lower-body injury.
He is seemingly in danger of missing the Blueshirts’ home matchup with the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
March 7, 11:29 a.m.
Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba is day-to-day after missing Thursday’s practice due to a lower-body injury, head coach Peter Laviolette said.
Laviolette added that Trouba was being evaluated and he had no further update to provide.
New York’s captain, who has 165 hits and 170 blocked shots on the season, logged 20 minutes of ice-time in Monday night’s loss to the Florida Panthers.
Thankfully for the Rangers, they are off until Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues, so Trouba will have plenty of time to rest up.
Feb. 21, 12:31 p.m.
Artemi Panarin and Jimmy Vesey missed practice on Wednesday.
Both players are dealing with lower-body injuries and are day-to-day, per the Rangers.
Panarin blocked a shot during Tuesday’s win over the Dallas Stars and appeared to be in pain heading to the bench, but he did not receive any attention from the training staff.
It’s unclear if the above is related to Panarin missing Wednesday’s practice.
Vesey’s injury isn’t known.
The Rangers are back in action Thursday against the Devils.
Feb. 20, 10:49 a.m.
Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren was back at practice on Tuesday morning after leaving Sunday’s win over the Islanders due to an upper-body injury.
Lindgren was wearing a full face shield during the morning skate, per Mollie Walker of The New York Post.
After practice, Lindgren — who said he is ready to play — told reporters that his eye was swollen shut after getting hit in the face on a follow-through on Sunday — an injury that necessitated 10 stitches.
The hard-nosed blueliner was slow to get up Sunday.
Lindgren remained down clutching his face, before making his way to the locker room alongside the training staff. He was later ruled out for the remainder of the game.
The Rangers return to action Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars at Madison Square Garden.
Feb. 16, 3:34 p.m.
The Rangers are placing Blake Wheeler on Long Term Injury on Friday and the winger will be out for the remainder of the regular season, according to multiple reports.
There is the possibility the 37-year-old, who sustained a lower-body injury during Thursday’s win over the Montreal Canadiens, could return for Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin on April 22.
Wheeler, playing in his 16th NHL season and first in New York, had tallied 23 points (nine goals and 12 assists) in 54 games for the Blueshirts with a plus-minus of plus-2. He averaged 12:43 time on the ice per game.
Feb. 15, 7:51 p.m.
Veteran winger Blake Wheeler had to leave the ice in Thursday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens after injuring his right leg in the first period. The team called it a lower-body injury and Wheeler did not return to the game.
The 37-year-old was fighting for the puck along the boards and fell backward after being shoved, with his right leg getting caught underneath him during the fall.
On his knees in obvious pain, Wheeler tried to get back up but immediately went back down. The trainer went to check on him before he and a teammate helped Wheeler up as he could only use one leg. He was helped off the ice before needing a stretcher to exit into the locker room.
Jan 26, 11:15 p.m.
Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed after the game that Filip Chytil suffered a setback related to his current injury but did not provide any further details other than he is at home and will be re-evaluated.
Defenseman Ryan Lindgren left Friday’s loss in the first period after taking a hit and did not return to the game. Laviolette categorized it as an “upper body” injury and that he was being evaluated.
Jan. 26, 2:48 p.m.
Filip Chytil, who needed help off the ice after being down for several minutes at the Rangers’ skate on Friday morning, suffered a setback related to his current injury, according to a report from Arthur Staple of The Athletic.
The 24-year-old was only on the ice with Zac Jones and Jake Leschyshyn at the time he went down and required their assistance in getting off.
Chytil only returned to practice this week after sustaining an apparent concussion on Nov. 2 that forced him out of action.
He will continue to be evaluated and is back at his New York home.
Jan. 26, 11:29 a.m.
Filip Chytil was helped off the ice after being down for several minutes at the Rangers’ optional morning skate, according to reporters in attendance.
The forward is being evaluated.
Chytil returned to the ice with his teammates on Thursday morning wearing a red, non-contact jersey and was seen skating on his own and going through reps a safe distance away from the other skaters.
This week marked the first time Chytil practiced with the club since he returned from rehab overseas after he sustained a head injury from a hit in November.
Jan. 25, 11:18 a.m.
Filip Chytil returned to the ice with his teammates Thursday morning.
Wearing a red, non-contact jersey Chytil was seen skating on his own and going through reps a safe distance away from the other skaters. This is the first time Chytil practiced with the Rangers since he returned from rehab in his home country of Czechia after a head injury suffered in November.
“It’s day one, and so he’s starting up the process of working up to speed,” head coach Peter Laviolette said after practice. “It was good to have him out there, but there’s no timeframe.”
In 10 games played this season, the 24-year-old has zero goals but six assists.
Jan. 22, 4:58 p.m.
Filip Chytil’s strength and conditioning coach gave a promising update for the Rangers center.
It’s been well documented that Chytil went back to his home country of Czechia to continue his rehab process from a head injury. According to the coach, Chytil has made “good progress” over the last few weeks.
Chytil’s coach believes he’ll be back soon and “stronger than before.”
According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, Chytil is en route back to New York but there is no timetable for his return to the lineup.
Chytil last played on Nov. 2.
Jan. 17, 8:35 a.m.
Filip Chytil, who went to his native Czechia late last month to continue working his way back from an upper-body injury, was on the ice practicing on Tuesday.
Chytil posted a picture to Instagram of him in his Rangers practice gear, next to former Ranger Jaromir Jagr.
Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said on Dec. 30 that the team was hopeful Chytil would return this season
“Fil is progressing slowly, this is an opportunity for him to head home, reset, continue to move forward,” Laviolette told reporters. “When he comes back, we’ll welcome him back with open arms. I think just from the progression standpoint and things not moving quick it was just a different avenue to try to push things along.”
Chytil last played on Nov. 2.
Jan. 14, 10:55 a.m.
Before the Rangers take on the Washington Capitals, coach Peter Laviolette confirmed that Kaapo Kakko will return to the ice on Sunday.
“He’s looked good in practice. He’s healthy, he’s cleared. He’s been with us for a while. It’s nice to have him back,” Laviolette said. “In practice, it looks like he’s skating well, he’s protecting pucks. It’s his first game back after being off for a little but but I’m sure he’s excited to get back in there and play.”
Laviolette says he can’t say what his expectations are for Kakko but is glad to have him back.
Jan. 13, 12:57 p.m.
Mika Zibanejad is listed as active for Saturday’s game on the road vs. the Washington Capitals, per USA Today’s Vince Mercogliano.
Zibanejad was previously listed as a game-time decision due to an illness that kept him off the ice Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.
Additionally, Zac Jones, Jake Leschyshyn and Tyler Pitlick were all scratched for Saturday’s matchup, while Anton Blidh, who was recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack, is in the lineup.
Jan. 13, 11:43 a.m.
Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters during pregame that Mika Zibanejad is a game-time decision for Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals.
Zibanejad missed Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues due to a lingering illness. Over 39 games this season, the center has tallied 39 points with 14 goals and 25 assists. He last played on Jan. 8.
Additionally, Laviolette said Kaapo Kakko will remain out of the lineup Saturday. Kakko has been out since Nov. 27 when he suffered a lower-body injury against the Buffalo Sabres. The 22-year-old practiced fully on Wednesday after returning to the ice last week while wearing a non-contact jersey.
USA Today’s Vince Mercogliano noted that Sunday’s game vs. the Capitals is a possibility for Kakko to return, but a safer bet is him playing this coming week, potentially on Tuesday at home against the Seattle Kraken.
