The Rangers held their breath last week as defenseman Dylan McIlrath crumpled to the ice in pain after colliding with newly signed prospect Kyle Jean at prospect development camp.

At the time, McIlrath was diagnosed as day-to-day and though he missed the rest of the camp, McIlrath was expected to be healthy for the start of the season.  That’s still not out of the question, but McIlrath faces an uphill battle now after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap.

McIlrath was expected to play a full year in Connecticut before challenging for a roster spot with New York and it now seems even more unlikely that he’ll seriously push for an NHL job this September.  While it’s unfortunate that McIlrath will lose much of his offseason training due to the injury, it might be a good thing that the 20-year-old will now face far less pressure to come roaring out of the gate this fall.  The hulking physical specimen is far from a polished player and could still improve his skating, offensive game and consistency.

The Rangers have not announced a timetable for McIlrath’s recovery.

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