Per Mollie Walker, the Rangers got some more good news on the injury front. Blake Wheeler is skating on his own, and there was a red jersey hanging in his locker. This doesn’t signify he is returning soon, but his pretty gruesome injury appears to be on the mend.
It’s unlikely Wheeler draws into the starting 12, at least not without injury. The Rangers are pretty set up front, especially if Filip Chytil returns. As it stands today, Jonny Brodzinski is the 13F, and if Chytil returns then Matt Rempe would be the 14F. Wheeler would be the 15F, but it would depend on injuries and roles.
This is where Peter Laviolette’s injury and lineup management will come into full focus. Yesterday, he stated he won’t get into any lineup decisions with the media for the entire postseason. This makes sense. There’s a level of gamesmanship here.
What shouldn’t be lost in all this is the human element. We saw how shook the team was when Wheeler went down with his injury. We also saw how they reacted to Chytil’s return to practice. Sometimes, teams need an emotional boost.
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