The Rangers put Patrik Nemeth on injured reserve Thursday, after the veteran defenseman was sidelined for the five games leading up to their two-week recess and again in their first contest back on Tuesday.

Team policy prevents the Rangers from disclosing the reason, but it is believed Nemeth is dealing with lingering effects from his bout with COVID-19 in late December.

Nemeth entered COVID protocol on Dec. 18, but the 30-year-old didn’t miss a game due to a brief lull in the schedule for Christmas. Once he cleared COVID protocols, Nemeth admitted he had some cold-like symptoms the first two or three days before they dissipated.

After skating in the two games on the Rangers’ trip to Florida on Dec. 29 and 31, Nemeth sat out of the first two matchups of 2022 against the Lightning and Oilers before he was added to non-roster status on Jan. 5.

The non-roster status stretched over the next two games against the Golden Knights and Ducks. Nemeth then returned to the lineup in the Jan. 10 loss to the Kings and skated in the next five games. Prior to the 3-2 shootout win over Los Angeles, head coach Gerard Gallant said there was a “banged-up” defenseman, which he later confirmed was Nemeth after the Swede was scratched.

Upon returning from the All-Star break, Nemeth was a full participant in the practices leading up to the Boston game.

Nemeth, who signed a three-year, $7.5 million deal with the Rangers as a free agent this past offseason, has appeared in 38 games as part of the third pair. He has posted two assists while averaging over 17 minutes per game.

Former Ranger Marc Staal returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time as an opponent on Thursday, nearly a year and a half since he was traded to the Red Wings in September 2020.

Less than halfway through the first period, the Rangers broadcasted a tribute video for Staal on the jumbotron. The Garden gave the veteran defenseman a welcoming round of applause and standing ovation.

“It’s strange,” Staal told reporters that morning, referring to what it’ll feel like to take the ice at the arena he called home for 13 years again. “It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been back here. It’s different coming in as a visitor, for sure. But such a great building, a lot of great memories here. It’s really fun to be back.

“We had a lot of playoff wins in this building, a lot of big games, great memories that way. I played for a lot of good teams here and the energy in this city around this place, around that time of year, is pretty awesome. I was lucky enough to be part of really great hockey teams playing here.”