The Rangers won’t be able to rely on their captain as they try to snap a three-game losing streak.
John Tortorella said yesterday Chris Drury has been suffering from a “cranky knee” for several weeks. Drury was seen by a doctor yesterday, and though Tortorella said he thought the injury was more “wear and tear” than anything, he admitted he wasn’t sure of its severity.
“It’s just progressively getting worse. So he probably won’t even be on the trip,” Tortorella said, referring to the Rangers’ two-game trek to Montreal today and Detroit on Monday.
“He’s at the doctor now,” Tortorella said. “This has gone on for a little bit for him now, for the past few weeks. It flared up again [Thursday] night. So we just decided to keep him off the ice. He’s getting treated. He’s at the doctor’s now and then we’ll see where we go from there.”
Drury played 8:43 of the Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Devils on Thursday, and he has logged fewer than 10 minutes in three of the past four games.
“I don’t think it’s something that just came on [Thursday] night,” Tortorella said. “I think it’s just, he’s played this game hard for a long time. I think it’s a little bit of wear and tear, and it’s just acted up on him now.”
Drury, who will turn 35 in April, has played in 23 games this season and has no goals with four assists. He missed 31 of the season’s first 32 games with a twice-broken finger.
The Rangers will be getting Erik Christensen back this afternoon as they try to win for the first time since a shootout victory at Washington on Jan. 24. The center has been out since Dec. 29 with an injured knee.
Where Christensen will play is unclear.
“I have no idea [where Christensen fits],” Tortorella said. “The skill that he can add to the club, I think it’s something we need and I think he’ll fit right in.”
He could slide in on the fourth line with Sean Avery and Mats Zuccarello or possibly join Marion Gaborik and Vinny Prospal, who made his season debut Thursday after knee surgery and said he felt “better than I would expect” yesterday.
Christensen said his conditioning is the only thing that still needs to improve.
“My knee’s not bothering me,” he said. “There’s no pain. Skating feels fine.”
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Goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who was pulled Thursday, said it makes no difference whether he plays or sits today. Tortorella wouldn’t say which it will be.
“Whatever happens, I take it as a good thing,” Lundqvist said. “If I’m playing, that’s great. If I’m not, I’m going to work hard in practice.”
Tortorella said he expects Lundqvist to be ready whenever he plays next.
“He has to answer. He knows he’s a big part of us,” Tortorella said. “That position is a big part of a team trying to get in the playoffs. If I know him, and as he’s done before as he’s gone through a little struggle here and there, he always answers the right way. So he’ll be there.”
