Overview
- Coach Mike Sullivan said Saturday that Noah Laba (lower body) and Urho Vaakanainen (upper body) are out week-to-week.
- Connor Mackey has taken Vaakanainen’s spot on the third defense pair and stayed there at Saturday’s practice.
- Laba’s absence removes a key penalty killer from a unit that ranks last since the Olympic break, with Conor Sheary and Taylor Raddysh taking shorthanded minutes.
- Goaltender Jonathan Quick is day-to-day, and New York recalled Dylan Garand, who is expected to make his NHL debut in the Sunday–Monday back-to-back.
- With the Rangers out of the playoff picture, the injuries are shaping late-season evaluations, including J.T. Miller shifting to center the third line in Laba’s place.