The possibilities of the Rangers having Blake Wheeler within the playoffs sound low.
Requested for the primary time in a very long time about Wheeler, who suffered a season-ending leg harm Feb. 15, head coach Peter Laviolette mentioned the 37-year-old ahead has not resumed skating but.
“He’s progressing, however slowly,” Laviolette mentioned earlier than the Rangers misplaced 4-2 to the Islanders at UBS Area on Tuesday evening. “I see him. He’s nonetheless on that lengthy street. The staff sees him on occasion. Whenever you’re in a state of affairs like that, your hours don’t precisely line up.
“I noticed him simply earlier than we got here right here [to Long Island]. Obtained to talk with him somewhat bit. It was good, good to see him. We miss him.”
Wheeler missed his twenty fifth straight recreation Tuesday, which marked slightly below two months because the proper wing fell awkwardly on his proper leg in a recreation in opposition to the Canadiens.
It was a scary scene and turned out to be simply as dangerous because it seemed.
The Rangers put Wheeler on long-term injured reserve the following day.
Wheeler in the end completed his first — and presumably solely — common season with the Rangers with 9 objectives and 12 assists in 54 video games.
Wheeler was the second Ranger to undergo a season-ending harm after Filip Chytil went down 10 video games into the season with a suspected concussion. Regardless of holding out hopes of a return and managing to skate in a apply setting for a bit, Chytil had a setback in late January and was formally dominated out for the rest of the season.
There hasn’t been an replace on Chytil since, however it’s protected to imagine the Czech middle is in the same state of affairs as Wheeler.
Matt Rempe was a wholesome scratch Tuesday in opposition to the Isles for the fifth time up to now seven video games.
Because of this, Jack Roslovic drew again into the lineup after serving as a wholesome scratch for the primary time as a Ranger on Monday.
He returned to his common submit on the correct wing of Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.
Erik Gustafsson additionally changed Zac Jones on the Rangers’ backside pairing with Braden Schneider.
Igor Shesterkin earned the beginning nod Tuesday, making 25 saves in his 53rd begin of the season.
The Rangers are scheduled to be off Wednesday earlier than they face the Flyers on the Backyard on Thursday.
