Rangers' Derek Stepan returns from injury Saturday night
Derek Stepan, left, carries the puck behind the net as Columbus Blue Jackets' RJ Umberger defends during the first period of a game in Columbus. (Nov. 7, 2013) Credit: AP
With center Derek Stepan back on the ice Saturday night in Toronto, the Rangers' offense should start to kick it up a notch.
Stepan, the Rangers' No. 2 scorer last season, missed the first 12 games of this season after suffering a non-displaced fracture of his left fibula during training camp. Though it might take him a few games to get back into top form, Stepan said after practice Friday that he can't wait to start contributing.
"It's gonna be fun," he said. "I feel good. I feel strong."
Stepan never missed a regular-season game in his first four years with the Rangers, though he did miss Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals last season after he suffered a broken jaw on a hit by Montreal's Brandon Prust. In 82 games last season, Stepan scored 17 goals and set career highs with 40 assists and 57 points.
"Step is obviously a big part of our team," coach Alain Vigneault said. "Not only does he play the center position five-on-five, power play and penalty-killing, but he's also a good young player that is assuming more leadership in our dressing room. So not having him was obviously a challenge for our group. I thought we handled it pretty well."
Stepan will take Kevin Hayes' spot between Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello. Hayes likely will move to the fourth line, taking the spot vacated by Chris Mueller, who was assigned to Hartford on Thursday.
"Step and Kreids have got some real good chemistry," Vigneault said. "He understands Chris well, he reads him well, he uses his speed well. Zuc I feel should fit in nicely with that. I'm looking for some chemistry here . . . I got a lot of confidence that that line is going to play well for us."
Zuccarello hopes Stepan's return will help everyone.
"I haven't played really well this year, either. Maybe we can help each other a little bit," Zuccarello said. " I have to step it up a bit. And maybe I can try to help him and work hard for him so he can get into it easier."
Notes & quotes: Dan Boyle, who has been out since suffering a broken hand in the season opener on Oct. 9, said he is shooting to be back sometime next week . . . Free-agent defenseman Tomas Kaberle, 36, whom the Rangers are evaluating, skated with the team on Thursday.
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
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