The Rangers have placed defenseman Sean Durzi on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, the team announced ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Flyers at Madison Square Garden.
Durzi’s move marks the fourth time this season the Rangers have had to sideline a key piece of their lineup, and it leaves defense as the latest position group hit by injury. The 28-year-old had been dealing with the issue for a couple of weeks before officially going on IR.
His IR designation is retroactive to Oct. 26, meaning he has already cleared the required seven-day minimum and can be activated by the team at any point going forward.
“I don’t know that he’s going to make the [upcoming Seattle-Western Canada] trip initially,” head coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday before the Rangers went on to beat the Flyers, 3-2. “I think it all depends on how he progresses.”
Speculation about the nature of Durzi’s injury began after he blocked a shot with his hand during the Rangers’ win over the Ducks last month. A source close to the situation pushed back on that theory, confirming the injury is lower body.
Durzi had sat out a handful of recent practices, which the team initially described as “maintenance.” Sullivan later confirmed his second-pairing defenseman was in fact nursing an injury. Although Durzi didn’t miss every practice or morning skate since getting hurt, a noticeable dip in his on-ice performance appears tied to the ailment.
With Durzi out, Scott Morrow played in his third consecutive game Thursday, continuing to line up on the right side alongside Alberts Smits.
In net, Dylan Garand turned aside 23 of 25 shots to earn his sixth win of the season.
Goalie situation in flux
The Rangers also placed goaltender James Reimer on waivers Thursday as they prepare for Joonas Korpisalo to return from a foot infection that has kept him out since the start of the season.
“I believe he is,” Sullivan said when asked whether Korpisalo would travel with the team.
Despite being placed on waivers, Reimer served as Garand’s backup against the Flyers.
Korpisalo made 34 saves in his first conditioning stint with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack on Wednesday, a 4-1 loss at Hershey. The Rangers came away encouraged by his performance, and he could be in net as soon as Friday in Seattle, depending on how he feels physically.
The team is off the ice Friday as it travels west for the Seattle game.
