Jooris injury puts roster move on hold
All Alain Vigneault could do was laugh at how the chips have fallen, allowing him and the Rangers brass to avoid being forced to make a difficult roster decision.
Following Wednesday night’s 5-2 comeback win over the Bruins at the Garden, Vigneault said forward Josh Jooris suffered a separated shoulder during the game and was going to be out “indefinitely.” That was no laughing matter, but with an impending return of forward Pavel Buchnevich for Friday night’s game against the Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Vigneault doesn’t have to decide who to waive or trade to make room on the 23-man roster.
What he does know is that the prognosis for Jooris isn’t good, and he likely will be going on injured reserve.
“He’s got a separated shoulder, and we don’t know exactly to what extent at this time,” Vigneault said. “He’ll have an MRI [exam on Thursday] and we’ll have a better idea of the time frame.”
Jooris had played well in the first four games before getting hurt late in the first period after laying a hit on defenseman Torey Krug. The decision for the team’s 23rd man was between him and eighth defenseman Dylan McIlrath, who was a healthy scratch for a fifth straight game and has gotten into only one match this season.
Both Jooris and McIlrath are subject to waivers, and thus management must make the call on which player it fears losing the most (or least). When asked about not having to make that decision right now, Vigneault smiled.
“Is that what it does?” he said of having injuries come at opportune times since the start of training camp, enabling him to keep a fully stocked roster intact. “I think that’s what it does.”
The Rangers wouldn’t want to lose Jooris for nothing on a possible waiver claim. Indeed, they don’t want to lose him at all after signing the speedy center to a one-year, $600,000 freeagent deal over the summer. Depth had already been an important ingredient of the team’s 5-2-0 getaway.
Neither would the Blueshirts want to lose McIlrath for nothing. But as there has been no great clamor around the league to acquire the 24-year-old whose status as the club’s eighth defenseman is clear, perhaps McIlrath would go unclaimed on a one-way $800,000 deal.
Vigneault did not sound optimistic winger Chris Kreider was going to be able to practice with the team Thursday or go on the trip to Carolina.
Kreider has been out since he started suffering neck spasms after Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Capitals in Washington. Wednesday was the second game he missed, and after he didn’t participate in the morning skate, Vigneault said Kreider was getting “treatments [and] he’s riding the bike. I would say depending on how he feels [Thursday], we’re day-today with him.”
Vigneault was looking forward to Kreider’s return for many reasons, including to reunite him on a line with center Mike Zibanejad and right wing Mats Zuccarello, whom he called “one of the best passers I’ve seen in this league.”
“I think that can be a dynamic line,” Vigneault said. “A lot of speed, combined with skill. And [Zuccarello] is maybe not known for his defensive play, but he does play well defensively. He’s not afraid to block shots, he’s not afraid to get in there and help our defense. So I see that line as a good combination and we played it together and they have played well.”