Rookie forward Jimmy Vesey, who left the game against the Islanders with an upper-body injury, is day to day. Coach Alain Vigneault said Vesey will travel with the Rangers for games at the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; MSG, TSN3, NHL.TV) and the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.
Forward Matt Puempel sustained a concussion when he was hit by a high stick from Islanders forward Brock Nelson in the first period. New York said it expects forward Michael Grabner, the Rangers leader with 13 goals, to return Thursday after missing the game against the Islanders; he had returned to Austria for his grandmother's funeral.
The Rangers also are without forwards Pavel Buchnevich (back) and Mika Zibanejad (leg).
New York recalled forward Nicklas Jensen from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Thursday.
