Rangers injury update: Chris Kreider sick, Ryan Lindgren takes part in full practice

Chris Kreider is sick and didn’t practice Wednesday with the New York Rangers. However, the 33-year-old forward will travel with the Rangers to Detroit for the start of a three-game road trip Thursday night against the Red Wings,

Kreider leads the Rangers with three goals, scoring one of each variety — even strength, power play and short-handed — to begin his 13th season with the Blueshirts. He scored two goals in a season-opening 6-0 win at the Pittsburgh Penguins, including his 10th short-handed goal since the 2021-22 season. He then added a power-play goal — the game winner — in a 4-1 victory against the Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

Last season, Kreider did not miss a game and scored 39 goals. He’s been extremely durable in recent years, missing just four games since the start of 2021-22.

Jonny Brodzinski skated in Kreider’s place on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Reilly Smith at practice. The 31-year-old forward played two of the first three games on the fourth line and has one assist. If Kreider can’t play Thursday, it’s not known if Brodzinski would fill that top-line role or if coach Peter Laviolette would juggle his lines some, perhaps moving Will Cuylle up from the third line.

Matt Rempe skated on the fourth line at practice, perhaps a sign he’ll be back in the lineup against the Red Wings. Rempe was a healthy scratch Monday and has appeared in one game, a 6-5 overtime loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday. The popular 6-foot-9 forward logged under four minutes of ice time in that game and played only seven shifts.

Related: Rangers find early success by spreading scoring around lineup

Ryan Lindgren practices, getting closer to Rangers return

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren was a full participant at practice, The 26-year-old wore a full face shield to protect his unspecified upper-body injury sustained in a preseason fight against Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield.

Lindgren skated on a fourth pair with extra defenseman Chad Ruhwedel. It was his first full practice after he shed the no-contact jersey at the morning skate Monday.

Laviolette remained non committal about Lindgren’s return to the lineup. But it appears that it should be sooner rather than later at this point.

“Right now he’s still listed the same way (day to day),” Laviolette said . “He was out there today for practice with no restrictions, which was really good.”

When Lindgren does return, the Rangers have a difficult decision to make because rookie defenseman Victor Mancini is an exciting prospect who’s played well his first three NHL games. However, the 22-year-old is the only defensemen on the team who is waivers exempt, so he’s the likely candidate to be assigned to Hartford of the American Hockey League.

With Lindgren out of the lineup, his usual defense partner Adam Fox has paired with K’Andre Miller; Braden Schneider shifted to the left side and paired with Jacob Trouba; and Mancini formed a solid tandem with Zac Jones.

Subscribe now on YouTube and be part of a community where passion for the New York Rankers knows no bounds!

More must-reads:

• 3 Rangers takeaways from 5-2 victory against Detroit Red Wings
• Artemi Panarin’s hat trick powers Rangers past Red Wings 5-2
• Ex-Rangers defenseman returns for Red Wings after rocky start with new team