Rangers Make Key Roster Moves Before Flyers Clash

The New York Rangers placed defenseman Sean Durzi on injured reserve retroactive to October 26 with an undisclosed injury.

The team has not classified the injury as upper body or lower body.

The Rangers have been quiet about Durzi’s condition since he was hurt, offering no timeline for his return.

Placing Durzi on IR does not free up cap space for the Rangers.

It does free up a roster spot, which could be used for a recall from the American Hockey League affiliate in Hartford.

The Rangers are heading west after tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

They may be creating a spare roster spot to carry an extra player on the road trip next week.

Because the IR designation is retroactive to October 26, Durzi has already passed the seven-day minimum required before he can be activated.

That means he is eligible to return as soon as he is medically cleared, with no additional waiting period.

In a separate transaction, the Rangers placed goaltender James Reimer on waivers Thursday.

Reimer signed a one-year contract with New York on October 25.

The move was intended to give Dylan Garand some relief in goal after the Rangers lost Igor Shesterkin for the remainder of the season.

Reimer was inserted into action immediately, starting the next day against the Los Angeles Kings on October 26.

Things did not go as planned.

Reimer was pulled after the first period after allowing three goals on just eight shots.

He played only that one period for the Rangers before being placed on waivers.

If no other NHL team claims Reimer, New York can assign him to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL.

There, Reimer would serve as the backup to Callum Tung.

The waiver move signals the return of Joonas Korpisalo, who is nearing a return from a lower-body injury.

Korpisalo stopped 34 of 37 shots on Wednesday night for Hartford in a conditioning stint.

Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan said the team has a certain number of games in mind for Korpisalo’s conditioning assignment but declined to reveal how many.

Sullivan said he expects Korpisalo to make the trip out west with the Rangers.

If not at the start of the trip, then at least joining the team somewhere along the way.

Dylan Garand will start his 12th straight game Thursday night against the Flyers.

The 24-year-old netminder owns a 5-6-1 record this season.

He carries a 2.57 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage with one shutout.

After shining in his first six starts, Garand has struggled in his last five appearances.

Over those five games, he has a 3.50 goals-against average and an .877 save percentage.

The Rangers are 8-7-1 heading into Thursday’s game.

The Flyers are 4-9-4.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM Eastern Time at Madison Square Garden.

A win would move the Rangers closer to an Eastern Conference Wild Card position.

The Rangers’ expected lineup for Thursday includes forwards Pavel Dorofeyev, Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafrenière, Tye Kartye, J.T. Miller, Jacob Perreault, Eeli Tolvanen, Will Cuylle, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jakub Chmelař, Adam Laba and Matt Rempe.

On defense, the Rangers are expected to ice Vladislav Gavrikov, Adam Fox, Marcus Pettersson, Braden Schneider, Kristiāns Šmits and Scott Morrow.

The Flyers’ expected lineup includes forwards Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak, Travis Konecny, Michael Martone, Devin Knuble, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, Matvei Michkov, Denver Barkey, Sean Couturier and Cam Acciari.

On defense, the Flyers are expected to ice Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, Oliver Bonk, Nick Seeler and Simon Benoit.

Joseph Woll will start in net for Philadelphia.

The NHL’s waiver process allows any other team to claim Reimer within 24 hours of being placed on waivers.

If claimed, the acquiring team takes on the remainder of his contract.