New York Rangers forward Sammy Blais was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a knee injury and is out for the season.
The team said the expected recovery time is six to eight months. Greg McKegg was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League to take his place on the roster.
The injury occurred Sunday in the third period of the Rangers’ 4-3 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils when defenseman PK Subban clipped Blais’ skate and sent him tumbling to the ice in pain. Subban wasn’t penalized on the play, but Rangers coach Gerard Gallant clearly was miffed in postgame comments.
Subban already had drawn the ire of the Rangers after tripping Ryan Reaves in the preseason.
On Nov. 3, the NFL fined Subban $15,000 after he tripped Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zergas, just eight days after fining him for what was called a “dangerous trip” on Calgary Flames forward Milan Lucic.
The Rangers acquired Blais in July in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. The Rangers traded forward Pavel Buchnevich to the Blues for Blais and a second-round draft pick in 2022.
Blais, 25, had emerged as a top-liner for the Rangers, playing alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider in recent games. In 14 games this season, he has four assists.
In his career, Blais has 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) and 61 penalty minutes in 133 games since the Blues selected him in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
