The New York Rangers hit the ice on Monday night for a matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. And the Madison Square Garden crowd will seemingly see the return of a forward who's been shelved for the past year.
Sammy Blais is expected to play in the Monday night game, according to head coach Gerard Gallant. It will be his first regular-season action since November 14, 2021.
Blais could have played earlier this season. However, the Rangers held him out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. The Rangers made this decision with the health of Blais in mind.
“He wanted to play but as coaches, we talk to him and say, ‘Sammy, we're not going to put you in there when you're not ready to play. The last thing we want is you getting a setback,'” Gallant said Sunday. “This is a minor setback, but he hasn't played in 10 months, so I understand he really wants to play. He's ready to go now, feeling good and strong.”
The 26-year-old Quebec native is excited to finally take the ice once again Monday night. “I haven't played in a regular-season game in a while. getting hurt right before the season was a bummer,” Blais said. “I felt really good today on the ice, so I'm just looking forward to tomorrow.”
Blais joined the Rangers prior to the 2021-22 NHL season. New York acquired him through a trade with the St. Louis Blues. St. Louis traded Blais and a 2022 2nd-round pick in exchange for forward Pavel Buchnevich.
Follow Us
Subscribe