The Rangers got back in the win column Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues, but they still had to do it without Sean Durzi.
Durzi missed his second straight game in that victory, and now the absence is stretching into a third straight night out when New York hosts the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. That also leaves his status for the upcoming four-game road trip hanging in the air.
The trip begins Saturday against the Seattle Kraken, and Mike Sullivan’s comments made it clear the Rangers are not locking Durzi into that travel party just yet. At the same time, the length of the trip means there’s still a chance he could join the team somewhere along the way.
Durzi has been a major offseason addition for New York after coming over in the Vincent Trocheck trade, and he’s filled a second-pair role on the blue line. Without him, the Rangers have had to reshuffle their defense corps.
Braden Schneider has moved up next to Marcus Pettersson on the second pair, while Scott Morrow has slotted in with Alberts Smits on the third pair. Morrow, in particular, has taken advantage of the opportunity and looked sharp enough to make a case for more ice time even after Durzi comes back.
That could put Sullivan in a tough spot, especially with Schneider not exactly lighting it up this season.
Durzi’s absence has also affected the power play. He quarterbacks the second unit, and with him unavailable on Tuesday, Adam Fox ended up working both power-play groups, which added to his workload.
For now, the Rangers are leaning on their depth to bridge the gap. Morrow’s play has helped cushion the loss, but the hope inside the room is still that Durzi is back in time for the road trip.
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