Postgame takeaways: Rangers lose Blake Wheeler to injury, intensifying need to add RW

NEW YORK − Right wing may have just moved to the top of the Rangers' trade-deadline priority list.

The potential loss of Blake Wheeler, who's feared to have suffered a serious right-leg injury during the first period of Thursday's 7-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens, threatens to further weaken what was already a thin position.

The 37-year-old veteran took a hit from Habs defenseman Jayden Struble behind the Montreal net, causing his right skate to get caught on the ice and his leg to twist awkwardly. He immediately yelled out in pain, then crumbled back down to the ice when he tried to get up. He was helped to the Madison Square Garden tunnel by teammates and did not appear to put any weight on the right leg.

The Rangers deemed it a lower-body injury, with head coach Peter Laviolette saying, "We'll evaluate it and address it (Friday)." But the concern from the bench boss and players in the locker room was palpable.

"You never want to see stuff like that," defenseman Adam Fox said. "At the end of the day, we’re still people. Wheels has been such an important – not just player, but guy in this locker room for us – and you feel his presence. We're hoping for the best news."

The longtime Winnipeg Jet signed a one-year, $800,000 deal with performance-bonus incentives to come to New York over the summer, posting 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists) while playing in all 54 games to this point. His production has been well below the point-per-game days of his prime and his skating has diminished at this stage of his career, but he's provided a low-cost, serviceable option on a shallow RW depth chart.

Wheeler has spent a chunk of the season playing on the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, including the last seven games in a row, but the Rangers must brace for the possibility of him missing significant time.

Center has been considered their top need heading toward the NHL's March 8 trade deadline, particularly since losing Filip Chytil for the season following a setback from a concussion, but their hope was to also add a right winger to provide another choice in that 1RW spot. Now that looks like a necessity − one they may devote a large portion of their more than $5 million in available salary cap space toward.

Ryan Lindgren: D-man opens up about pending free agency: 'This is home now'

Jimmy Vesey to 1RW?

In the meantime, Jimmy Vesey could get the first crack at moving up in the lineup.

The Rangers (35-16-3) were forced to rotate forwards with only 11 remaining following Wheeler's injury, but Vesey saw more on the top line with Kreider and Zibanejad than anyone else. That trio combined for seven points, including Kreider's sixth career hat trick, while outshooting the Canadiens, 6-3, and generating three high-danger scoring chances in just 3:24 time on ice, according to Natural Stat Trick.

"I thought Jimmy did a good job when he moved up there," said Laviolette, offering a strong hint toward which way he may be leaning. "He played really well."

Kaapo Kakko is another option in that spot, having already logged 179:06 time on ice with Kreider and Zibanejad this season. They've generated positive underlying numbers (including a 56.95% xGF), but they've only produced five goals (albeit while allowing just two).

But Kakko, who scored an impressive goal at the 9:56 mark in the third period, is riding a three-game point streak on his current line with Will Cuylle and Jonny Brodzinski. Laviolette has repeatedly praised that trio and seems inclined to keep them together.

"Kaapo was noticeable all night," Laviolette said. "He was trying to get on the attack and moving north and moving forward with the puck. That line contributed again."

The decision about who to move up could be influenced by which forward the Rangers decide to back fill into the lineup.

Alex Belzile was recalled from AHL Hartford on Wednesday and could slot into a fourth-line role, as could the recently waived Tyler Pitlick. But prospect Brennan Othmann looms as the highest upside possibility and would be better served someplace in the top nine. The 2021 first-round draft pick got a brief taste of life in the NHL during a three-game stint with New York in early January and has registered 33 points (13 goals and 20 assists) through 40 AHL games this season, including goals in three of his last four games.

'Our big guys got going'

The Wheeler injury overshadowed what had been a lackluster first period for the Rangers, who gave up a rebound goal to Jake Evans at the 14:29 mark and fell into a 1-0 hole.

The jarring sight of their teammate going down in such pain may have contributed to the slow start.

"It does definitely take a minute to kind of get back to that emotion and fire after that," said Fox.

By the time they came out for the second period, the Rangers had regrouped.

They flew through those middle 20 minutes, scoring four goals in a span of 4:10 to take a commanding 4-1 lead.

"We weren’t happy with the first," Zibanejad said. "It wasn’t a good one for us, so we needed to do something completely different."

The difference was that the Rangers went into attack mode, hunting for takeaways and using those possession changes to create quick-strike opportunities off the rush.

Seven of their 13 high-danger scoring chances came in the second period, with many of their core players in the middle of it. Kreider starred with the hat trick, while Fox added four assists, Artemi Panarin had three and Zibanejad notched a goal and two assists.

"Our big guys got going and started playing a much better game on the attack," Laviolette said. "It's the speed into the battle. It's the compete inside the battle to turn pucks over, and then the speed coming out of that and you're marching towards the offensive zone and attacking the net."

Mika Zibanejad's big night

Zibanejad was a driving force in that effort.

The Rangers' No. 1 center has been marred in a scoring slump, with only two goals in his previous 18 games. He hasn't scored a five-on-five goal in 21 straight games, but he did notch a shorthanded tally against Montreal and was a noticeable factor on both ends of the ice at even strength.

Zibanejad pushed the pace and moved the puck with conviction, with Thursday marking his best all-around performance in weeks. His pass to setup Kreider's third goal, which he deftly lifted over Habs defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic in transition, was a thing of a beauty.

"We were in the right place at the right time," said a predictably modest Zibanejad.

Power play ends its drought

It wasn't a perfect game, with some of the recent defensive improvements the Rangers have shown during this six-game winning streak slipping after they built their three-goal lead. But a moment to build on came on their fourth and final goal of their second-period flurry.

They had a woeful showing on their first power play of the game, which dropped them to 0 for their last 18. But they finally busted out on their next opportunity, with Kreider tipping a Panarin shot past Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault at the 15:19 mark of the second period.

The collective relief could be felt throughout the building.

"If you guys think you ask and talk about it a lot in the media, we talk about it even more," Zibanejad said. "We want it to work, obviously. We understand how important our power play is for our team and that we need to score. When that happens, it’s obviously a relief. Hopefully, they come in bunches now."

The Blueshirts finished 1-for-4 on the PP and are still only five for their last 41 dating back to Jan. 13, but they're hopeful this can be the spark that gets them back on track.

"When it's clicking, you don't think out there – you just do, and the puck seems to move on its own. And when it's not going, you're thinking a little more," Fox said. "It's definitely frustrating, but we know we're a talented group out there and capable of changing the game."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rangers lose Blake Wheeler to injury, intensifying need to add RW