Braden Schneider will get the first crack at replacing injured Adam Fox on the top Rangers defensive pairing.
Schneider skated with Vladislav Gavrikov during practice Monday in place of Fox, who is expected to miss several weeks on long-term injured reserve with a left arm injury.
“I think we just gotta really dig into our team identity and our individual identities,” Schneider said. “Obviously, we’re not going to fill that hole and what he brings.
“He’s one of the best offensive defensemen in the league and that’s a hard position to fill. But I think we have to make sure we’re doing our jobs to the best of our ability. And that’s breaking pucks out and defending hard and getting the pucks into our forwards’ hands and doing what we can do to get pucks through.
“If we can do that and make sure we are really digging in and being solid defensively, those offensive things will come from it. But we’re not going to fill that hole. He’s an offensive guy that has a skill level above a lot of guys. We just have to make sure we are digging into what we can do.”
Fox, a former Norris Trophy winner, is tied for the team lead with Artemi Panarin with 26 points.
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan also said he doesn’t want Schneider, Gavrikov or others to feel as if they need to do more than usual, other than “they have to just play their game” while Fox is sidelined.
“The message is that we’re dealing with the next man up and be ready to play,” Sullivan said. “Injuries are a part of the game, every team goes through them and we’re no different.
“Obviously, Foxy is not an easy guy to replace for so many reasons. I’m sure I’m stating the obvious when I say that. But we’re gonna put a game plan together based on the people that we have and try to set our group up for success.”
Adam Edstrom left practice early, and Sullivan said the forward was being evaluated for a lower-body injury.
Veteran backup goalie Jonathan Quick (lower-body injury) returned to practice after being unavailable the past four games.
Taylor Raddysh did not practice due to personal reasons.
The Rangers recalled forward Brennan Othmann from AHL Hartford with Edstrom listed as day to day.
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