Adam Fox Returns as New York Rangers Host Wings

After missing the past ten games with a lower-body injury, Adam Fox will return to the lineup where they play host to the Detroit Red Wings (7:30 on TNT).

Rangers	Rankings	Red Wings
15-4-1	Record	11-6-3
1st	League Rank	23rd
15th	Goals For	4th
3rd	Goals Against	13th
3rd	Power play	9th
7th	Penalty Kill	17th

Previous Game

The Blueshirts are coming off an ugly 5-1 defeat to the Buffalo Sabres. The Rangers were coming off an emotional and playoff-like victory over the Boston Bruins, but they couldn’t maintain that intensity and ultimately came up flat against Buffalo. Mika Zibanejad got the Rangers lone goal on the power-play. Igor Shesterkin had a fine game despite allowing four goals on 38 shots. Without the stellar play of Shesterkin, the game would have been out of reach after the first period. The Sabres also tacked on an empty net goal in the final two minutes of the game.

Perhaps worse than the defeat, the Rangers have lost Kaapo Kakko for a “significant period of time,” confirmed by head coach Peter Laviolette on Tuesday. Kakko lost an edge and went awkwardly into the boards, hurting what appeared to be his knee in the process. Play had to be stopped to give the Finnish winger medical attention as eventually managed to skate off without putting any pressure on his leg. Kakko was placed on the long term injured reserve list (LTIR) on Tuesday.

Rangers vs Red Wings

The good news for the Rangers is that they will welcome their former Norris Trophy winning defenseman Adam Fox back to the lineup on Wednesday. Fox missed the previous ten games, but he was activated from the LTIR and the American defender is expected to return to his normal role with Ryan Lindgren and on special teams. Erik Gustafsson did a stellar job filling in on both the top power-play unit and partnering with Lindgren. Gustafsson recorded at least a point in nine out of the ten games where he was given more responsibility. The Rangers went 7-2-1 in Fox’s absence. Fox had eleven points in ten games before going down with a lower-body injury. Zac Jones will be a healthy scratch with Fox’s return to the lineup.

The other big story entering Wednesday night’s game is that former Ranger Patrick Kane has decided to sign with the Detroit Red Wings. The former three-time Stanley Cup champion won’t be available for Detroit on Wednesday night, but expect him to join Detroit’s lineup in the near future. Kane was acquired from the Blackhawks at last year’s trade deadline by New York in a deal that the Rangers hoped would put them over the top. Ultimately, it didn’t work out as the Blueshirts were bounced in the first round. Kane’s reunion with Artemi Panarin didn’t go well in New York, but he is hoping that won’t be the same case when he enters Detroit’s lineup. Kane will reunite with former linemate Alex DeBrincat. DeBrincat leads the Red Wings in goals with twelve and he has 20 points on the season – one fewer than the team leader Dylan Larkin.

Unfortunately for the Red Wings, Larkin won’t be available when the Red Wings travel to New York. Larkin is listed as day-to-day by head coach Derek Lalonde.

Filip Chytil was also placed on the LTIR on Tuesday. Chytil’s LTIR placement is retroactive to November 3rd and he will be able to be activated at any time.

“He’s moving in the right direction,” Laviolette said. “There was no setback there. It was just more to clean up some (cap) room and make things available if we need to”

With the Rangers down to eleven forward’s due to Kakko’s injury, the Blueshirts called up forward Jonny Brodzinski and Adam Edstrom. Rangers fans are pretty familiar with Jonny Brodzinski’s game as he has been with the organization since the 2020-2021 season. Brodzinski is a defensive forward who can kill penalties and win faceoffs. This season, the 30-year-old has provided a lot of offense in the American Hockey League with 25 points in 16 games. 48 points was the most he has ever had in a season in the AHL. He appears to be getting the first shot in Kakko’s spot with Nick Bonino and Will Cuylle.

Edstrom has nine points in 18 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack this season. The former sixth round pick in 2019 has allegedly been impressing coaching staff in Hartford and he has earned an opportunity in the NHL. At 6’8, Edstrom easily becomes the tallest player on the Rangers. Blake Wheeler and K’Andre Miller are the next tallest players at 6’5.

Shesterkin will be back in goal as he takes on Detroit’s Ville Husso. Husso is 7-3-1 with an .888 save percentage this season.

The bet of the night is for Artemi Panarin to record over 2.5 shots on goal against Detroit. Panarin has hit the over on this in three of the past four games. In what is expected to be a game with a lot of offensive chances – look for Panarin to shoot the puck. At -195 odds, a $5 bet will pay $7.54 for a profit of $2.56.

Last bet: The last pick was for Jacob Trouva to record over 2.5 blocked shots which hit for $9.54 – a win of $4.54.

Current record: 9-3

Current Money Total (Based on $5 bets) – We are up $44.60 on the season