New York Rangers injury updates: Panarin, Lindgren skate before practice
The New York Rangers are three days away from the start of the 2024-25 season, and they’re working towards getting a couple of their injured players back into the lineup.
Forward Artemi Panarin and defenseman Ryan Lindgren skated on their own prior to practice on Sunday. Panarin is working his way back from a lower-body injury sustained Tuesday in a 5-4 preseason victory against the New Jersey Devils; it came one week after he left a 6-4 win against the New York Islanders, also with a lower-body issue.
“He skated today,” coach Peter Laviolette said of Panarin after practice. “Day to day. He skated today – not out there with us.”
Lindgren has been idled by an upper-body injury sustained in the win against the Islanders. Forward Jimmy Vesey, who sustained a lower-body injury during practice on Sept. 29, has yet to resume skating.
“He skated as well,” Laviolette said of Lindgren, “but not Jimmy.”
The injuries to Panarin and Vesey have opened spots for other forwards to step up and show what they can do.
Here are the forward lines from practice on Sunday:
Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Reilly Smith
Brett Berard – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle – Filip Chytil – Kaapo Kakko
Jonny Brodzinski/Adam Edstrom – Sam Carrick – Matt Rempe
Berard skated in place of Panarin on Sunday. Brennan Othmann, who skated with Trocheck and Lafreniere but went pointless during a 5-2 preseason loss to the Islanders on Friday, was sent down to the Rangers’ AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday.
Berard, a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, has yet to make his NHL debut. He had 25 goals and 48 points for the Wolf Pack last season, placing him second in goals and fifth in points among AHL rookies. If Panarin is not ready to go for the season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday at PPG Paints Arena, Berard could play in his place. It would be a huge opportunity for the 22-year-old.
“He’s been a noticeable guy,” Laviolette said. “There’s an opportunity for him to come in and show what he can do, even if it’s just practices, just to continue to show what he can do because we like what we’ve seen.”
Related: Rangers assign Brennan Othmann to AHL Hartford, place Connor Mackey on waivers
Victor Mancini could be in Rangers lineup on opening night
On defense, the Rangers are carrying seven healthy defensemen now that Matthew Robertson was placed on waivers. Lindgren’s absence opens a spot that could be filled by Mancini, arguably the best rookie in camp.
Here are the defense pairs from Sunday’s practice:
K’Andre Miller – Adam Fox
Zac Jones – Victor Mancini
Braden Schneider – Jacob Trouba
Robertson skated on the fourth defense pair with Chad Ruhwedel, but will return to Hartford if he clears waivers Monday. This means that it is down to Ruhwedel or Mancini to fill in for Lindgren while he is sidelined.
Victor Mancini – photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
Also worth noting is that the Miller-Fox pairing seems to be sticking, at least for now. This is a great opportunity for Miller, who has never played with a defense partner as good as Fox. It also provides a new look for Fox, who has skated primarily with Lindgren throughout his career.
Schneider — known as “Baby Trouba” — and Trouba make up a solid second pairing, even with Schneider moving from the right side to the left.
Jones and Mancini create an interesting third pair, featuring two young, talented defenders
It is possible that Laviolette will elect to go with the veteran Ruhwedel for the start of the season. But judging by the lines and pairings at practice, it looks like Mancini may be rewarded for his excellent play in training camp, which included two goals and three points in four preseason games.
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