Chris Kreider's injury will keep him out of Thursday's game
Rangers left wing Chris Kreider and teammates react against the Capitals in the third period of an NHL game at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 27, 2022. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
GREENBURGH, N.Y. – Chris Kreider has been ruled out of Thursday’s game at Madison Square Garden against the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars, the Rangers announced Wednesday. The top line left wing suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout win over the Minnesota Wild.
Kreider took a hit from Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno with 10:12 remaining in the third period that seemed to get him in the left shoulder or upper back. He left and did not return. Coach Gerard Gallant sounded upbeat Wednesday when talking about Kreider, though, and said he didn’t expect him to be out very long.
“We miss him, he’s a big part of our group, but it’s not going to be long term,’’ Gallant said after Wednesday’s practice. “It’s a short-term thing, so, it gives ‘13’ a good chance to go up there and play good hockey with good players.’’
“13’’ is Alexis Lafrenière, the much-talked about former No. 1 overall pick who Gallant said will be taking Kreider’s spot on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko. Lafrenière will likely also be filling Kreider’s spot in front of the net on the top power-play unit, Gallant said.
For Lafrenière, who was a healthy scratch for the Rangers’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Lightning in Tampa Dec. 29, the chance to replace Kreider represents a significant opportunity. In 41 games this season, he has five goals and 13 assists, and has not scored a goal in the last 13 games he’s played.
He has played a lot with Kakko in his three seasons, and he played with Zibanejad a good chunk of last season. The three players were together for parts of four games last month, at the beginning of the Rangers’ season-long seven-game winning streak.
“They’re two good players,’’ Lafrenière said of Zibanejad and Kakko. “Mika is obviously one of the best centers in the league, and Kaapo is getting better every game, and I really like his game. He's working hard and he's playing real well.’’
The Rangers were down a goal in the second period of the 6-4 win over St. Louis Dec. 5 when Gallant moved Lafrenière and Kakko up to play with Zibanejad, his No. 1 center. The move paid off, as Lafrenière had an assist on K’Andre Miller’s goal that tied the game, and then Lafrenière scored the game-winning goal. That game started the seven-game win streak, but after starting the next three games, the line was broken up during the Dec. 12 win over the Devils.
Gallant has said over and over that he isn’t unhappy with Lafrenière. He has repeatedly pointed out that Lafrenière hasn’t had the same opportunity to play first-line minutes and first-power play minutes as other top draft picks who play on bad teams. Lafreniere plays the same position as Kreider and Artemi Panarin and is stuck behind those two.
Kreider’s injury, though, gives Lafrenière a chance to step up for a game.
“That’s what you hope for, when you get guys knocked out, somebody gets another opportunity and goes up there and does the job,’’ Gallant said.
Notes & quotes: The Rangers claimed C Jake Leschyshyn off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights. Leschyshyn, 23, has no points in 22 games with Vegas … Zibanejad, Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Ds Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren did not practice Wednesday. Julien Gauthier, who left Tuesday’s game with an upper-body injury, did practice, and said he is fine.
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.
