New York could be getting some much-needed lineup reinforcements soon.
The club cleared Carl Hagelin for contact on Wednesday, according to the New York Post. Hagelin has missed all five of the Rangers’ games this season -- and, prior to those, the entire exhibition campaign -- after undergoing corrective shoulder surgery during the summer.
Hagelin, 25, should resume full practices this week and, according to the Post’s Larry Brooks, is targeting a return date of Oct. 29 against the New York Islanders -- the earliest he can be activated after being placed on long-term injured reserve to start the season.
If everything goes to plan, Hagelin will have missed 10 games all told.
The speedy winger will be a nice addition to the Blueshirts’ lineup. The lockout-shortened ’13 campaign was a good one for Hagelin, as he posted 10 goals and 24 points in 48 games, chipping in with another six points in 12 playoff contests.
He also averaged 17:18 TOI per game in the regular season -- up from 15:03 in his rookie year -- and played over 18 a night during the postseason.
Related: On LTIR, Rangers’ Hagelin (shoulder) calls recovery ‘a long process’