MIAMI — Just as one injury concern goes away, two more pop up.
Noah Laba is week to week with an upper-body injury he suffered on a hit from Capitals agitator Tom Wilson in the second period Wednesday afternoon in Washington, the team announced Thursday.
It’s just the latest injury blow to a Rangers lineup that has been riddled with them since Day 1.
“It’s a tough loss,” head coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday after practice at loanDepot park. “Labs has played extremely well for us. His learning curve has been steep. From the time that we watched him in Lehigh Valley with the rookies to where he is right now, I think his game is night and day in a much better place. I think the one element that he brings to our group is a speed game and just a conscientious game on both sides of the puck. And so he’s not going to be an easy guy to replace. We’re certainly going to miss him.”
The 22-year-old rookie watched from the dugout as his teammates took the ice inside the home of the Miami Marlins for practice.
Alongside him was Adam Edstrom, who has missed 15 straight games on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
Additionally, Conor Sheary was spotted using crutches after sustaining a lower-body injury Wednesday night.
The Rangers put Sheary on long-term injured reserve.
In a series of subsequent moves, the club also recalled wings Brett Berard, Anton Blidh and center Justin Dowling from Hartford.
“We have a sense of [the severity],” Sullivan said of Sheary’s injury. “What I’ll tell you is that he’s longer term right now and we’ll go from there. But I wouldn’t expect him anytime soon.”
Because the Rangers needed extra bodies around due to the injuries and illness, Brennan Othmann was returned to the Wolf Pack due to cap constraints.
Laba, who has appeared in all 42 games since winning the third-line center job out of training camp, is the more significant loss. Already thin down the middle, the Rangers have been fortunate to have so much consistency with Laba filling that spot.
Without Laba, Dowling centered the third line between Jonny Brodzinski and Taylor Raddysh. The 35-year-old center could make his Rangers debut in the Winter Classic. He signed a two-year deal with the Rangers in July.
Captain J.T. Miller joined the Rangers for practice in a red noncontact jersey for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury Dec. 20.
Skating in a red noncontact jersey, Miller took another step toward returning to the lineup. Friday’s game will be the sixth straight game Miller has missed, the eighth in total.
