With wins in seven of the last eight games keeping the Rangers in first place in the Atlantic Division, Kevin Weekes hasn’t been missed all that much.

But the goalie is now healthy and should be ready to play at some point during the team’s three-game road trip, which opens tonight in Chicago.

“There’s a good chance [he will play],” Tom Renney said of Weekes.

For his part, Weekes is optimistic.

“I hope so; it feels a lot better,” said Weekes, when asked if he would be able to return to the nets for the first time since suffering an ankle contusion in a win over the Thrashers on Nov. 24. He has missed the last four games. “It’s not going to be perfect, but I think it’s sound enough.”

The same could be said of the Rangers, who have surged to a five-point lead over the second-place Flyers with the recent string of success that culminated with Monday’s 3-1 win over Minnesota at the Garden.

The Blueshirts trail only red-hot Ottawa in the Eastern Conference and head to Chicago brimming with confidence. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist has been a key to that, as has the Rangers’ dominance at home, where they are 10-2-2.

Jaromir Jagr would like to recreate that success on the road.

“As much as we love playing at home, right now we’re ready to play anywhere,” Jagr said. “We’re not looking at Ottawa or first place or anything else. Our only goal now is to make the playoffs and take it from there.”

Weekes expects to be able to help the team do that soon. He practiced in pads for the third straight day and continues to improve. And while the sizzling Lundqvist figures to play again tonight, Weekes should be in the nets during the trip.

“I’ve had long practice sessions the last three days and I feel better after every one of them,” Weekes said.

The team is being particularly cautious because the last time Weekes was shelved – with a groin injury – he came back too soon and was still bothered by it.

“Any time you go back you have the right mindset,” Weekes said. “You don’t want to go out again.”

But yesterday, Weekes was able to practice at close to full strength.

“I was actually able to go down fast enough to stop the guys’ shots,” Weekes said. “Knowing that [the ankle] is not going to buckle when you push on it in the butterfly position is important.”

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Tom Poti should be ready to return from a groin injury, as is Ryan Hollweg, who sat out Monday with a facial injury.

“Tom will play,” Renney said. “We’ll find out for sure [about Hollweg] at the morning skate.”

Weekes’ return means Chris Holt figures to head back to Charlotte . . . Despite the team’s minimal degree of success on the power play, Renney likes what he sees. “It’s improving. I’ve seen more point shots,” he said. “We’re going in the right direction.”