New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad is out of Tuesday’s lineup and will be replaced by David Desharnais.
New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad will miss the game against the Winnipeg Jets due to the flu. David Desharnais will suit up and center Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich, per Justin Tasch of the New York Daily News.
Desharnais will center Kreider and Buchnevich with Zibanejad (flu) out tonight
— Justin Tasch (@J_Tasch) March 6, 2018
Desharnais has been in and out of the lineup since the trade deadline passed on Feb.26. As an unrestricted free agent and with the Rangers in rebuilding mode, it was surprising that he wasn’t moved along with Nick Holden, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Grabner, and Rick Nash.
Shattenkirk is back
At Tuesday’s morning skate, Kevin Shattenkirk was on the ice and not wearing a non-contact red jersey. Shattenkirk has been on the mend after having a procedure done to repair a torn meniscus he suffered earlier in the season. He attempted to skate with the pain, but as time passed he felt it was necessary to have the procedure done in late January rather than wait until the end of the season.
2️⃣2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/QeXrMfelAo
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 6, 2018
Hank gets start tonight
Henrik Lundqvist will get the start for the Rangers tonight. This will be the Kings 56th start of the season, with a 25-21-5 record and a .916 save percentage.
Henrik spoke after Tuesday’s morning skate and said “it feels like a new group in a big way here,” as he spoke about the new faces in the lineup.
"It feels like a new group in a big way here." @HLundqvist30 talks about his new teammates and the challenge #NYR will have tonight against Winnipeg. pic.twitter.com/nB0O1Uhrel
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 6, 2018
The Rangers still have an outside shot to make the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, even with their poor play this season.
With 66 points, the Blueshirts need to leapfrog four teams that are ahead of them in the standings. Columbus currently holds the second wild-card spot followed by Carolina, Florida and the New York Islanders.
The Rangers have 16 games remaining in the season and every point is huge right now for the team.
Essentially, the playoffs have already begun.