NY Rangers lines tonight: Ryan Lindgren, Tyler Motte still out; K’Andre Miller returns

The NY Rangers lines tonight feature the return of K’Andre Miller, who has finished up his three game suspension and will be back in the lineup. That’s the good news, as the Rangers sorely missed him. The left side has been gutted without Miller and Ryan Lindgren, so getting half of them back is a huge step in the right direction. Another step in the right direction: Having 18 skaters for a game. Novel concept.

The bad news is that Lindgren and Tyler Motte are still out, and while there is no time table for their returns yet, both are skating. The Rangers were able to recall Jonny Brodzinski on an emergency basis, which the NHL so graciously allowed them to do this time, their third request. Guess they couldn’t make up more rules on the fly. With 18 skaters, the lines are more or less the same as the last few games. It’s the powerplay units that got thrown into a blender.

This is as close to a full team as we will get until both Lindgren and Motte return from their injuries. These lines and powerplay units will likely get a long look, mostly to see if Panarin and Kane work together. Now is the time to show patience, but for how long has yet to be seen.