The New York Rangers deployed the same six defensemen for their first 14 games this season. But we’ll see if that streak continues when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.
That’s because two of their regular blueliners missed practice Saturday. Sean Durzi didn’t participate in practice due to an undisclosed injury and Braden Schneider is sick.
Each is a right-shot defenseman. The lone extra defender on the roster is Scott Morrow, a right-handed shooter who’s been a healthy scratch for each game this season. As of early afternoon Saturday, the Rangers hadn’t recalled a defenseman from Hartford of the American Hockey League.
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Scott Morrow — Dennis Schneidler-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Notably, Vincent Iorio is a right-shot defenseman with NHL experience at Hartford. And Drew Fortescue, who played nine games with the Rangers last season after concluding his junior year at Boston College, has played on his off (right) side with Hartford this season.
Coach Mike Sullivan said more than once the past week that Durzi’s dealing with something and playing through pain. It appeared Durzi may have been hurt late in New York’s 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 19 when a shot through traffic hit him in the arm/wrist/hand area. Despite missing several practices, the 28-year-old kept playing in games, even logging 21:08 TOI last Saturday in a 7-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
However, Durzi played a season-low 15:10 on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings and dropped down to the third pair alongside rookie Alberts Smits. Schneider moved up to replace Durzi as the partner for Marcus Pettersson.
Both Schneider and Durzi practiced on Friday. Schneider played all 82 games last season and missed only three games in five-plus NHL seasons.
Durzi is third among Rangers defensemen with five points (two goals, three assists); Schneider is tied for third on the team and is first among defensemen with 30 hits.
The Rangers (7-6-1) aim to end a three-game losing streak Sunday, when they come off a five-day break in the schedule to face off against Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
Jim Cerny is Executive Editor at Forever Blueshirts and Managing Editor at Sportsnaut, with more than 30 years of … More about Jim Cerny
