The New York Rangers are set to get captain Ryan McDonagh back after a four-game absence due to a concussion.
McDonagh suffered the injury after being punched in the jaw by Wayne Simmonds in a game against the Flyers in Philadelphia on February 6. According to Pro Hockey Talk, McDonagh is ready to return against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday after sitting out with concussion symptoms. The matchup is the final game in a three-game homestand for the Rangers at Madison Square Garden and the team comes in having lost just one of the last six games.
Getting McDonagh back is a big boost for the Rangers, as he currently is leading the team in time on ice per game, according to NHL.com stats. Steve Zipay of Newsday wrote on Twitter that McDonagh said that he felt "100 percent healthy" after taking part in the Rangers pre-game skate on Wednesday ahead of the matchup with Chicago.
McDonagh has 26 points in 52 games played this season, putting up seven goals and 19 assists for the Rangers. The concussion was the first for McDonagh in his career and the Rangers captain said to the New York Times that "it's good to feel like yourself again" following his return to the ice. The Rangers did not suffer much with McDonagh out of the lineup, winning three of the four games he missed, including a win against the Flyers on Sunday.
Rangers Coach Alain Vigneault said to the Times that Marc Staal may be out for the game against the Blackhawks, as he will be with his wife as she prepares to give birth. Having McDonagh back in the lineup will be a nice boost if Staal can't play on Wednesday night.
