Rangers' Adam Fox is healthy and anxious to get going again
Adam Fox of the Rangers shoots the puck in the first period against the Canadiens at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16. Credit: Jim McIsaac
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Adam Fox was supposed to have gone to Las Vegas last weekend for the NHL All-Star Game, but an ill-timed upper-body injury and a stint on the injured reserve list torpedoed that idea. So the Rangers defenseman went to California for some R & R instead.
"Got some sun,’’ Fox said Saturday. "Not much of a tan, but yeah, got some sun and just relaxed a little bit.’’
The reigning Norris Trophy winner promised that he is fully healthy and will be ready to go when the Rangers resume their season Tuesday, with a game at Madison Square Garden against the Boston Bruins. The injury, he confirmed, was a result of his being taken awkwardly into the boards early in the third period of a Jan. 27 game in Columbus.
At the time, coach Gerard Gallant said it was a day-to-day thing, but the Rangers put Fox on IR the next day and he missed the last three games before the break. According to Fox, his getting shut down was more about the team deciding to err on the side of safety rather than taking a chance on his worsening the injury by playing.
"I think, with timing, it was just easier to take the cautious route and not rush back,’’ he said. "It was kind of a lot of games in a few days there, heading to the break . . . I’m just excited to get back out there and start playing again now.’’
The Rangers did win two of the three games that Fox missed and rookie Braden Schneider looked good playing alongside Fox’s regular partner, Ryan Lindgren. Gallant was pleased with the entire defense during Fox’s absence.
"Jonesy [Zac Jones] came up and played and our ‘D’ played really good,’’ Gallant said. "It’s nice to see when a guy like Fox or those top players that are out of your lineup and guys come up and play well. But . . . it’s not one guy is going to replace him, it was the whole group of guys. And I thought the group played really good together.’’
For Fox, who had previously missed only one game in his three-year career — the result of a false positive test for COVID-19 last season — it was hard to be forced to sit and watch games.
"You’re a little antsy watching the games and obviously you want to be out there,’’ he said. "For me, it just puts a little bit into perspective of guys like Blazer [Sammy Blais, out with a torn ACL] who are out for a long period of time. You feel for them a little more.’’
Notes & quotes: With forward Kaapo Kakko out for at least the next month, Alexis Lafreniere remained on right wing with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad at practice. Barclay Goodrow was at right wing with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome, dropping Dryden Hunt down to the third line with Filip Chytil and Julien Gauthier. Gallant said those lines are "pretty close’’ to what they’ll be Tuesday against Boston . . . D Patrik Nemeth, who missed the last four games because of personal reasons, has practiced the last two days but has not yet been added to the roster. Gallant said the team is not sure that Nemeth will be in the lineup Tuesday.
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.
