Laviolette: ‘No-brainer’ for Fox to reclaim spot on top PP unit

There won’t be a controversy. Not like a goalie debate, or even a “QB powerplay controversy,” as Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette joked.

When defenseman Adam Fox returns to the Blueshirts’ lineup, which is expected to happen Wednesday against the Red Wings, he’ll also return to his spot on the top power-play unit — the role Erik Gustafsson, who played under Laviolette with the Capitals, anchored during Fox’s 10-game absence. Gustafsson did an “excellent job” during his cameo with the top unit, Laviolette said, allowing the Rangers to still score or at least create opportunities.

But the Blueshirts won’t hesitate to insert Fox back into his usual spot, ensuring a unit that sat third (32.4 percent) in the NHL at the time of his lower-body injury operates at full strength. The Rangers still hold the No. 3 power-play unit, but their success rate has slightly dipped to 30.4 percent.

“One of the best in the business is coming back into our lineup,” Laviolette said of Fox after practice Tuesday, “and that unit was really good at the time of his exit and so to put him right back in there is a no-brainer.

“If he’s healthy, if he can, he jumps right back in there.”

After removing the red non-contact jersey Monday, Fox practiced fully again Tuesday, and Laviolette said the tempo and “battle level” of their session in Tarrytown — mostly fixing what went wrong in a 5-1 loss to Buffalo — benefitted Fox. Laviolette, as well as longtime defensive partner Ryan Lindgren, both noticed the 25-year-old making his usual contributions, and he looked like “his old self,” Lindgren said.

Fox hasn’t played since

Nov. 2 against the Hurricanes, when his knee and Sebastian Aho’s leg collided. He didn’t return, and the Rangers later placed Fox on long-term injured reserve, meaning he’d have to miss at least 10 games and 24 days.

“It’s always huge when you get a guy back like that in the lineup,” Lindgren said, “and I’m sure he’s real excited to get back, too.”