Sammy Blais returns to the ice on Chytil line after 11-month absence
Rangers left wing Sammy Blais during warmups before a game against the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 17, 2022. Credit: Noah K. Murray
He had to wait an extra week, but after 11 months Sammy Blais finally got to make his return to the NHL Monday night when the Rangers forward made his season debut in the Blueshirts’ game against the Anaheim Ducks.
It was his first regular-season game since he tore the ACL in his right knee against the Devils last Nov. 14. The 6-2, 206-pound winger had hoped to return when the Rangers opened their season last week against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but an upper-body injury suffered in the final preseason game against the Islanders forced him to delay his comeback.
For Blais, though, it’s all good. Better late than never.
“I'm feeling good, yeah,’’ he said after the Rangers’ practice Sunday. “It was a little bummer to not be able to play the first three games, but . . . it was a good practice today and I'll be ready to go.’’
Blais was acquired from the St. Louis Blues as part of the return in the Pavel Buchnevich trade last year, and after starting out on a third line, he was on the verge of becoming a top-6 forward before he got hurt. He had just been promoted to the top line and was playing with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider when he was injured.
He started with those two when training camp began, but by the end of the preseason, he was down on the fourth line. However, injuries to Vitali Kravtsov and Ryan Carpenter caused coach Gerard Gallant to shuffle people around, and on Monday against the Ducks, Blais was on the third line, with Filip Chytil and Jimmy Vesey. Blais played most of his 14 games last season next to Chytil.
“Yeah, I was on [Chytil’s] line probably the most, and it went pretty well,’’ Blais said. “He's such a good skater. I’m just trying to create some space for him. And he's a good offensive player, so just let him have the puck and get ready for some passes from him.’’
A sixth-round draft pick by the Blues in 2014, Blais has shown the ability to score goals in junior hockey and the minor leagues. He had four in 25 games in his draft-eligible season with Victoriaville of the QMJHL, then had 34 and 33 goals in his last two seasons of junior. As a rookie in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves, he had 26 goals in 75 games, and he had 17 in 42 games with San Antonio the next season and one in 11 games with St. Louis. Playing as a fourth-liner with the Blues in their Stanley Cup championship season of 2018-19, he had two goals in 32 games in the regular season and one in 15 games in the playoffs.
If Blais can get back on the track he seemed to be on before he was injured, that would help create a productive third line for the Rangers and it would certainly help Chytil, who lost his two favorite wingers, Alexis Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko, when both were elevated to the top two lines. Chytil became a force in the playoffs as the center of the dynamic Kid Line, but playing on a third line without his fellow kids, he will need help from someone. Blais’ power forechecking game and his soft hands around the net could provide that help.
Blais promised not to let his excitement at returning to action lead to doing anything too crazy. He intends to play the same game he always has.
“When I go out there, I always have one mentality, and it's to hit hard and to take the puck away from the other team,’’ he said. “I can't be a different guy. If I'm a different guy I won't be as effective. So I’ve just got to keep playing the same way. And maybe run around less, a little bit. But I’m just excited to be playing. So I have a lot of energy, and I just want to be helping the team win.’’
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.
