Rangers winger Mats Zuccarello, who’s been out since Game 5 of the first playoff round after taking a Ryan McDonagh shot to the side of the head, resumed skating on Monday prior to tonight’s Eastern Conference Final game against Tampa Bay.
Zuccarello, 27, missed New York’s entire seven-game win over Washington in Round 2 with a suspected concussion, and also sat out the conference final opener on Saturday. Prior to the Tampa Bay series, Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault said he was “holding out hope” for a possible Zuccarello return; noting that the diminutive Norwegian had done “everything but” skate in terms of working out.
#NYR@zuccarello36 skated lightly on his own today. No change in his status, remains sidelined indefinitely.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 18, 2015
Zuccarello, 27, missed New York’s entire seven-game win over Washington in Round 2 with a suspected concussion, and also sat out the conference final opener on Saturday. Prior to the Tampa Bay series, Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault said he was “holding out hope” for a possible Zuccarello return; noting that the diminutive Norwegian had done “everything but” skate in terms of working out.
Getting Zuccarello back would be a major boon for the Blueshirts. He’s one of their most creative playmakers -- third on the team in assists this year, with 34 -- and received plenty of minutes during the regular season (17:16 per game).