Tanner Glass wasn’t trying to force the issue, but the Rangers’ pugilistic forward was just making it clear that when he steps on the ice against the Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds on Sunday, it won’t exactly be a friendly encounter.
Simmonds concussed Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh on Saturday in Philadelphia with a gloved sucker punch, sidelining McDonagh for Monday’s 2-1 win over the Devils and at least Wednesday’s game against the Penguins in Pittsburgh. The Kings are in the Garden on Friday, and then Simmonds and the Flyers come in on Sunday night.
Glass was asked Tuesday if he has been thinking about the moment when he can get back on the ice at the same time as Simmonds, and he answered: “As soon as I was not on the ice after it happened.
“You have to think team first, so you’re not taking a penalty,” Glass said. “You’re not trying to hurt your team in anyway. You just have to let [Simmonds] know that that’s not going to be tolerated. [McDonagh’s] our captain, he’s our best player, [Simmonds] can’t do that. He’ll know. He’ll know.”
Meanwhile, a day after coach Alain Vigneault berated the league for not leveling any supplemental discipline at Simmonds, he was trying not to contemplate the idea that his players were harboring any thoughts of retaliation.
“That game is a long ways away,” Vigneault said. “Ask me Saturday and I’ll have an answer for you.”
There was no official update on McDonagh except he was able to come to the team’s practice facility in Westchester after not going to the Garden on Monday.
“I saw Mac briefly [Tuesday] morning. He came in to say hi,” Vigneault said. “No new development there. It’s day-to-day, and we’ll see how he feels [Wednesday].”
Forward Rick Nash missed practice again with a bone bruise in his left leg. Vigneault said he is definitely out for Wednesday night, and it’s highly unlikely he’ll be ready for Friday night’s Garden match against the Kings.
“Rick I saw this morning, feeling better,” Vigneault said. “Docs still feel he needs a couple more days away from the ice. So we’re on a day-to-day basis and see how he feels.”
Nash was hurt blocking a shot back on Jan. 22 in Carolina, and Monday was his seventh straight game missed. Vigneault said he would have to get back on the ice and see how he reacts before thinking of when he might be able to play again.
“Right now, he’s almost pain-free when he’s walking around,” Vigneault said, “which is a good step here in the last six, seven days.”
Vigneault said there was no planned call-up coming from AHL Hartford, and the six healthy defensemen are the ones who are going to keep playing.
“In case something would pop up [Tuesday] or [Wednesday], we’d call up somebody over there,” Vigneault said. “But at this time, we’re going to save the personnel and save the cash.”
Right-handed defenseman Dan Boyle switched to his off side on the left to help fill the void left by McDonagh, and that’s likely the way it will stay, with rookie Dylan McIlrath staying on his natural right side.
“I know [Boyle] hadn’t played there in a long time, but in all fairness, him or Dylan?” Vigneault said. “Well, Dylan is just trying to get in, and it’s easier for him on the right side. So I thought for the most part, Dan did a real good job of going to that side, knowing that it’s not his natural side and doing what he had to do to be successful.”