The New York Rangers’ worst fears came true on Sunday. The club announced it had placed its top blueliner on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) with an upper-body injury. Of course, that’s Adam Fox, who left Saturday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Fox sustained a hit from Brandon Hagel in the third period, leaving him writhing in pain on the ice. He left the game and did not return. While coach Mike Sullivan did not provide an update immediately following the game, the situation didn’t look good.
The Rangers will now be without their best defenseman for the next 10 games at the very least. The earliest Fox could come back from his suspected shoulder injury is December 27, CBS Sports noted.
That would be the best-case scenario, as renowned sports physician Harjas Grewal noted. But in the worst-case scenario, Fox may be out for much longer than that. Grewal stated:
If Fox is dealing with a separated shoulder, he could be back by the end of December. But it’s a broken collarbone, the injury could pretty much end Fox’s season. That would be a crushing blow to the Rangers’ playoff hopes.
The Blueshirts have already dealt with multiple injury issues this season. They’ve dealt with J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck going down at various points. But in Fox’s case, it could be something the club may not recover from.
Rangers Can’t Really Replace Fox
So, the first instinct would be to find a replacement for Adam Fox. However, Norris-Trophy-winning, right-shot defensemen don’t grow on trees. The Rangers can’t just go out and trade for someone to replace Fox.
If the injury is of the short-term persuasion, the club may be able to deal with it internally. Will Borgen and Braden Schneider will be expected to step up.
But if the injury proves to be of the catastrophic kind, the Rangers may need to go out and find someone on the trade market. That situation depends, of course, on whether the Rangers are within striking distance of a playoff spot.
As it stands, the team has a decent shot of getting back into the race. So, it may come down to a team willing to trade a suitable defenseman. But such a move will also depend on the Rangers’ willingness to pay the price.
Blueshirts Likely Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place
The likeliest situation here is the Rangers being stuck between a rock and a hard place. While the club may have cap space to add, it may not have the pieces to entice another club to part with a top-four blueliner.
So, what do the Blueshirts do? They’ll wait out the situation as long as possible. The goal will be to determine if Adam Fox can return at some point this season. If the team feels that the playoffs are beyond its reach, the focus may turn to landing a lottery pick instead.
It’s a tough road ahead in New York, and fans may not like what’s coming down the pipeline.
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