The New York Rangers are expecting to get back captain Ryan McDonagh and defenseman Marc Staal on Thursday after both players missed Tuesday's game against the New Jersey Devils.
The Rangers sent Brady Skjei to Hartford to make room on the roster, and the team believes that "McDonagh or Staal - or both - will play" against the Blues on Thursday, according to Brett Cyrgalis at the New York Post. McDonagh has been out for the last two games with an upper-body injury, while Staal missed one game a lower-body injury.
Staal was scratched from the Devils game after he suffered a "tweak" in his lower body, according to the New York Daily News. Coach Alain Vigneault told Justin Tasch that the injury to Staal was not serious and that he is considered to be "day-to-day." Vigneault also had praise for Skjei, who was called up to replace Staal, saying that the young prospect "played all right" and that "he's got a good skill level."
McDonagh has been out since he was elbowed in the head last Thursday in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. McDonagh skated in practice for the first time since the injury on Monday, and now he could be set to return on Thursday. McDonagh was able to skate on Tuesday for the second straight day, and it's likely Staal or McDonagh will play after the team sent Skjei back to the AHL.
McDonagh said that he has been "progressing and getting better here every day." He suffered a concussion earlier in the season, and he had returned from that injury after missing four games when he was hit by Toronto's Leo Komarov. McDonagh did not suffer another concussion on the hit from Komarov.
"Obviously I was pretty thankful," McDonagh told The Daily News. "Could tell right away I was clear. The test was a lot easier, I was able to clear it fine."
The Rangers are currently in second place in the Metropolitan division behind the Washington Capitals. The team has a 34-20-6 record with 74 points this season.
