Banged-up Rangers hit the road limping

WINNIPEG — The physical toll the Rangers paid during Tuesday’s game against the Islanders can now be measured by three absent bodies.

In addition to Rick Nash and Matt Puempel, rookie Jimmy Vesey missed Wednesday’s practice in Greenburgh with what was termed an upper-body injury. Vesey appeared to be slashed on the arm late in the second period of the Rangers’ 4-2 loss in Brooklyn.

The Rangers announced Nash, who tweaked his groin Tuesday, will be out one week after he underwent an MRI Wednesday. Bad news as the team begins a stretch of four games in six nights Thursday in Winnipeg.

Vesey is day-to-day but traveled with the team for a back-to-back, which finishes Friday in Chicago. The free-agent out of Harvard scored his ninth goal of the season on Tuesday. That was his second goal in four games after scoring just once in 13 games.

Nicklas Jensen was called up from AHL Hartford to ensure the Rangers (17-9-1) have at least 12 healthy forwards Thursday night against the Jets. Puempel, who suffered a concussion at the hands of Brock Nelson high-stick, was placed on injured reserve to make room for Jensen.

Playing any number of games without Nash, their best forward, is a blow to the Rangers, who are already without Mika Zibanejad (broken left fibula) and rookie Pavel Buchnevich (back.) Nash, having a bounce-back season with 11 goals, could return next Thursday in Dallas.

Zibanejad is unlikely to return until next month, while Buchnevich could be back within the next few weeks, though Alain Vigneault told reporters there is no definitive timetable for the 21-year-old Russian to return

“He is continuing the process of the rehab,” Vigneault said. “I think that right now (the trainers) feel that he probably needs a little bit more time as far as improving that strength level until they really start gearing him up on the ice.”

With lineup questions up front heading into Thursday’s game, there also could be a change on defense as Vigneault said he’s “definitely” thinking about putting Adam Clendening back into the lineup in order to get his right-handed shot on the second power-play unit.