It will be nine games out and 16 to go until the trade deadline when Kevin Hayes returns to the Rangers lineup following the club’s mandated off-week that commences following Saturday night’s match in Boston.
For the organization has reached the common-sense decision to hold out No. 13 from the match against the Bruins once it was determined he would not be quite ready to play in Thursday’s Garden contest against the Blackhawks.
The pending free-agent center and potential rental property practiced without limitations on a line with Filip Chytil and Ryan Strome, but the decision to keep him bubble-wrapped had been reached before the Blueshirts took the ice.