Chris Kreider and the Rangers are awaiting further results of medical exams the winger underwent Thursday after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his right arm that will sideline him for an indefinite, extended period of time.
The best-case scenario for Kreider would translate to an absence of 6-to-8 weeks but experts in the field have cautioned The Post that could be a quite optimistic projection and suggest that, pending the final diagnosis and plan of treatment, he could be sidelined for far longer than that.
The Rangers have not issued any sort of projected timeline regarding a recovery period.
Kreider left a game Wednesday against the Caps following the first period after his arm swelled. The 26-year-old was immediately sent to the Hospital for Special Surgery, where he returned Thursday.
“The only thing I know is just before the first period, Chris felt some swelling in his arm. The docs checked him out and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary,” said coach Alain Vigneault, whose team recalled Vinni Lettieri from AHL Hartford to fill the hole in the lineup. “But between the first and the second, it got to the point where it was out of the ordinary, and so he was sent to the hospital to have it checked out.”
Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy underwent surgery to remove a blood clot near his left collarbone in early September of 2015 and was able to return to the ice in just less than two months. Vasilevskiy was also diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, the same ailment that in 2016 sidelined Mets pitcher Matt Harvey from July 4 through the end of the season.
It is unknown whether Kreider is suffering from TOS or will require surgery, but a source familiar with the condition suggested the winger’s situation differs from Vasilevskiy’s because No. 20 would be far more prone to body contact and thus might be not cleared to play as quickly as the goaltender.
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was diagnosed with a form of TOS and underwent surgery to remove a blood clot near his right collarbone in early April 2016. Because of issues that arose during his recovery that included the immediate formation of another blood clot, Stamkos did not return until Eastern Finals Game 7, missing about seven weeks.
“Most importantly, he is a good friend,” linemate Mika Zibanejad said about Kreider. “I hope for a speedy recovery and for everything to work out.”
Henrik Lundqvist missed nearly two months during the 2014-15 season after suffering a torn blood vessel in his neck when hit by a shot in the throat. The conditions are not related but the goaltender said Thursday that, “The most important thing was to wait to come back until it was fully healed. You have to take the proper time. You couldn’t say, ‘Well, it’s close to normal so I’m going to play.’”
Kreider, who led the team last year with 28 goals, has recorded 11 thus far to place him in a three-way tie for second with Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich behind Michael Grabner’s 17. The 6-3, 224-pound winger has been a consistent net presence on the first power-play unit.
Rick Nash will assume Kreider’s spot on the first man-advantage unit while Lettieri, a righty whose shoot-first reputation precedes him, will line up on the second PP unit in his NHL debut Friday in Detroit.
“It’s a hard thing to see a teammate go through, obviously,” Marc Staal said of Kreider. “Hopefully he gets it right and comes back healthy.”