The Rangers are hopeful that Kevin Hayes will be available when they come out of the bye week to meet the Islanders on Saturday afternoon at the Garden.
Hayes left a 2-1 defeat Sunday in Vegas following his first shift of the second period with a contusion he sustained taking a big, early first-period hit delivered by Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt. He is officially “day-to-day.”
The Blueshirts’ checking center, who had originally planned to remain in the Western desert during this hiatus, canceled his plans and returned home immediately following the match to begin treatment. Hayes has recorded 17 points (9-8) while consistently matched against the opposition’s top lines.
The Rangers will reconvene for practice late Friday afternoon before the game Saturday kicks off a back-to-back that will conclude in Pittsburgh the following night, and starts a pre-All-Star Game stretch in which the club will play eight games in 13 days.
If Hayes is unable to skate on Friday or go Saturday, the Blueshirts likely would shift J.T. Miller back into the middle to complete the corps at center while reinserting winger Pavel Buchnevich — a healthy scratch in Vegas — into the lineup against the Islanders.
Chris Kreider was discharged Tuesday from the Hospital of Special Surgery following a rib resection procedure on Sunday. The surgery was required as part of treatment to heal a blood clot that had been discovered in the winger’s right arm Dec. 27. Kreider, tied for second on the club with 11 goals, will be evaluated again in six weeks.