Rick Nash’s return isn’t happening anytime soon.
The star forward, who last played Jan. 22 and has missed the past eight games with a bone bruise in his left leg, has been downgraded from day-to-day to week-to-week as he continues to have trouble walking.
Nash skated twice last week but has not been back on the ice in 10 days.
“The bone bruise is taking longer than we expected to heal,” coach Alain Vigneault said Saturday. “I think last week they shut him down for five days, [and] I think they’re gonna shut him down for another week. He still is having issues walking.”
Despite the setback, Vigneault said he isn’t concerned the injury might prevent Nash from returning at all this season.
“He’s had all the CT scans, all the MRIs somebody could have. There’s no fracture,” Vigneault said. “It’s just a deep bone bruise, and it’s painful, and it’s taking a lot of time.”
Goaltender Antti Raanta was distraught after allowing five goals in an overtime loss to the Kings on Friday night in his fifth straight loss since opening the season with four straight wins, but Vigneault said he would not hesitate to use the backup in upcoming back-to-back sets.
Raanta’s most recent win came Nov. 15.
“I see a player that cares, a player that wants to do well, and I’m very confident the next time he steps in goal that that goaltender we saw in the beginning of the year — sharp, on top of his game, helping us win — is still there,” Vigneault said. “It’s just we haven’t put him in goal enough to get him in rhythm. He knew that coming into the situation being [ Henrik Lundqvist ’s] backup, but now, he’s got the possibility here of playing more games, and he’ll be better next time.”
The Rangers have performed well without Ryan McDonagh, earning five points in the past three games the captain has missed, but Vigneault hasn’t been thrilled with defenseman Marc Staal’s recent play.
“We’ve had a few step up. We still need a couple of other guys, like a guy like Marc Staal,” Vigneault said. “I still feel he can give us a little more at both ends of the rink.
“Marc is strong mentally. He knows the team needs him to play up to his level, know his teammates can count on him on a shift-to-shift basis.”
Derick Brassard and Dan Girardi received maintenance days and did not practice, but Vigneault said both will play Sunday.