Defenseman Marc Staal will miss Thursday’s game against the Sabres after not practicing Wednesday, and center Kevin Hayes likely will be out, too. With the Rangers leaving for a four-game road trip out West on Friday, a move may have to be made to add depth to the active roster.
Coach Alain Vigneault said he doesn’t believe either player will be out too much longer. That said, if neither is able to practice on Friday before the team leaves for Denver, it would leave the Rangers in a precarious position if they don’t add a player from AHL Hartford.
“We might have to call someone up,” Vigneault said.
Hayes has missed the past two games with a leg contusion he aggravated Saturday against the Islanders and Staal suffered a hip-flexor injury in Tuesday’s 5-1 win over the Flyers. Neither player skated on Wednesday. Staal rehabbed his hip, and Hayes did off-ice work and got in a workout for the second straight day.
“I feel he’s real close to skating here, could be in the next 24 to 48 hours,” Vigneault said of Hayes.
see also
Marc Staal exits with hip-flexor injury
One defenseman back, and another gone. As captain Ryan McDonagh…
With Staal expected to be sidelined Thursday, defenseman Steven Kampfer will return to the lineup, according to Vigneault. He was a healthy scratch Tuesday after playing in the previous three games.
“‘Kamp’ has played some good hockey for us this year when we needed him,” Vigneault said of the veteran, who has produced a minus-6 rating with one assist in 16 games. “He’s skating well, he’s moving the puck well, so we’re going to put him in. We feel real good about his game and what he brings.”
Vigneault will stick with the fourth line of Michael Grabner-Peter Holland-Jesper Fast against Buffalo with Hayes likely remaining out.
“I thought they played well and they were very sound defensively,” the coach said.
Henrik Lundqvist will be in net against the Sabres on Thursday.