Rangers' Andrew Copp, Filip Chytil likely out Saturday after injuries vs. Isles

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Andrew Copp and Filip Chytil were among the players who didn’t skate at the Rangers’ optional practice Friday after both forwards left Thursday’s 6-3 win over the Islanders in the third period with injuries.

Both Copp (lower body) and Chytil (upper body) were officially listed as day-to-day, but neither is likely to play Saturday in Boston, when the Rangers face the Bruins in a nationally televised 3 p.m. game.

“I don't think they'll be playing tomorrow,’’ Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said Friday. “Not worth it this time of the year.’’

Ever since GM Chris Drury brought in so many reinforcements at the trade deadline, the Rangers have quite a few extra players around. So, even with Kaapo Kakko and Tyler Motte out injured, Gallant will have options to replace Copp and Chytil in the lineup. He can choose from Jonny Brodzinski, Greg McKegg and Julien Gauthier to fill in against the Bruins.

Kakko, listed on Monday as “week-to-week’’ with a lower-body injury, skated on his own before practice, Gallant said, and the coach remained steadfast in his belief the 21-year-old Finn is on track to play in Game 1 of the playoffs.

“I still think he's going to play games next week,’’ Gallant said. “But I'm not trying to put pressure on somebody. I just hope he's ready to play. And that's what we feel like. But we'll see.’’

Copp and Chytil will be ready, as well, he said.

“It's day-to-day,’’ he said. “I don't see any issue there. But again, I'm no doctor, and I don't want to get ahead of myself and put pressure on players. But I was told day-to-day, not serious. So we'll see what that means.’’

The injuries to Copp, Chytil and Kakko illustrate the risks the Rangers face as they finish their regular-season schedule. Gallant wants to keep playing his regulars to make sure they are sharp for the playoffs. But the risk of injury is always there.

“Yeah, I mean, you’ve got your fingers crossed every game,’’ he said. “That's what coaches do. And you know, [injuries are] going to happen. You hope they're minor injuries.’’

Veteran forward Ryan Reaves, who scored the final goal for the Rangers on Thursday against the Islanders, said players can’t play carefully because they fear getting hurt.

“You can't play soft because you don't want to get injured,’’ he said. “I feel like if you do that, that's when you get injured.’’

As for Saturday’s game, it has the potential to be a preview of the first round of the playoffs. If the Rangers finish first in the Metropolitan Division — they’re currently tied with Carolina for the division lead — and the Bruins finish fourth in the Northeast Division but end up with more points than the fourth-place team in the Metro, the Rangers and Bruins would face each other.

Reaves was asked if there would be information the Rangers can glean from Saturday’s game, or messages sent between the teams in the event they see each other in the playoffs.

“There's going to be a little bit of that, for sure,’’ he said. “But I think the last 10 games of the season, you're getting ready for playoffs anyways, [and] the intensity level has to be there. You have to be preparing like you're playing in a game and in the playoffs. So whether it's a preview or not, it's going to feel like a playoff game for sure.’’

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.