One-third of the New York Rangers defense went under the knife this week, as blueliners Marc Staal and Dan Girardi both had successful ankle surgeries.
Staal’s was to repair a hairline fracture and bone chip, while Girardi had a bursa excision to remove fluid. Both are expected to recover fully over the summer, and be ready for training camp in the fall.
Staal and Girardi weren’t the only two New York d-man playing hurt this postseason. Captain Ryan McDonagh suffered a broken foot in the Eastern Conference Final, Keith Yandle had a sprained AC joint in his shoulder and Kevin Klein missed the entire first round recovering from a broken arm during the regular season.
Up front, winger Mats Zuccarello suffered a skull fracture and brain contusion during the opening round against Pittsburgh, and missed the remainder of the playoffs.