No more injury excuses for the New York Rangers. Defensemen Kevin Klein and Dan Girardi will both be back in the lineup tonight in Nashville, coach Alain Vigneault confirmed today.
The dependable Klein hasn’t played since Nov. 30, when the Rangers boasted a record of 17-6-2. His teammates won just three times in the 11 games he missed with a “strained oblique.”
Girardi has been out with a knee injury since mid-December. The 31-year-old was having a tough season up to that point.
How the Rangers’ blue line performs leading up to the Feb. 29 trade deadline will be worth watching. Will GM Jeff Gorton try to improve what he’s got? If so, how much will the salary cap hinder his attempts?
Of note, the Rangers have a very tough stretch coming out of the break:
