Mats Zuccarello heading back to New York to get his hand examined
Mats Zuccarello, the Norwegian winger who has been the Rangers' leading scorer this season, is expected to be sidelined for at least a week after he fractured his left hand during the Olympics.
Zuccarello, who sat out Norway's final game due to the non-displaced fracture, will fly to New York Thursday to be examined by Dr. Martin Posner, the club's hand specialist, the team said.
The Rangers open a mini-camp this morning in Westchester for players who were not in Sochi, and their first game is next Thursday when they host the Chicago Blackhawks. It is believed that Zuccarello will miss that game and maybe more, but nothing will be confirmed until after Thursday's exam.
Zuccarello has 15 goals and 28 assists in 58 games for the Rangers, and has been a significant contributor on the Rangers' power play, which ranks ninth in the league.
The injury occurred when he was slashed in Norway's game against Austria, and Zuccarello, his arm bandaged, watched his team lose to Russia on Tuesday. An MRI in Sochi disclosed the break.
If Derek Dorsett, who is recovering from a broken left leg he suffered while blocking a shot against the Penguins on Jan. 3, is ready to return, the Rangers will have 12 healthy forwards. But they also could call up J.T. Miller, who has played 25 games this season, from the Hartford Wolf Pack, where he has 10 goals and 26 points in 24 games.