Buzz: Miller sidelined for Rangers with upper-body injury

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New York Rangers

K'Andre Miller was placed on injured reserve by the Rangers on Friday because of an upper-body injury.

The defenseman was injured in the second period of a 3-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday and did not play in the third period. Miller will not be available when the Rangers host the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; FDSNW, MSG, TVAS) or for the start of a three-game road trip that begins at the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

Miller has six points (two goals, four assists) in 28 games this season.

The Rangers (15-12-1), who had gone 2-8-0 before the win in Buffalo, are now down two of their top six defenseman from the start of the season, with captain Jacob Trouba being traded to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6.

Connor Mackey, who hasn't played in an NHL game since Jan. 27 of last season, will likely replace Miller in the lineup.

Carolina Hurricanes

Jack Drury will be out at least a few weeks after the Hurricanes center had hand surgery Thursday.

Drury was injured during the first period of a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

“That’s not looking good,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the game Tuesday. “I’m assuming he’s going to be out for a while, but we don’t know for sure yet.”

The 24-year-old forward has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 28 games this season and 46 points (15 goals, 31 assists) in 142 games with the Hurricanes.

Nashville Predators

Roman Josi did not play for the Predators in a 4-1 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday because of a lower-body injury.

The defenseman, who is day to day, left after the first period of a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. He leads the Predators with 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 29 games this season.

Defenseman Kevin Gravel was recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Thursday and had an assist in the win.

Forward Ryan O'Reilly had two goals and an assist in his return to the lineup. He had missed the previous three games because of a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal skated with the Islanders on Thursday for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 30.

The forward, who is on long-term injured reserve, was wearing a regular jersey but did not take part in line rushes. He is considered day to day.

Barzal, who has missed 21 games, has five points (two goals, three assists) in 10 games this season.

"It's obviously great. [Barzal] is a big part of this team and a big part of the organization," Islanders forward Bo Horvat said. "And to have him back skating again with us is huge, and hopefully we can get him back in the lineup here soon."

Forward Anthony Duclair (lower body) and defenseman Adam Pelech (jaw) skated in regular jerseys for the first time since returning to practice and each is day to day. Pelech skated in line rushes on the extra defense pair with Grant Hutton.

Duclair has missed 26 games. He has three points (two goals, one assist) in five games this season. Pelech, who has missed 20 games, has four assists in 11 games.

"It's exciting for everybody," Islanders coach Patrick Roy said about having the injured players back on the ice. "[Seeing them on the ice] just tells you that they're getting closer and closer to getting back in the lineup. Sometimes when those injuries happen, you feel like they'll never come back. Now, seeing them close to coming back, it's a good feeling for everybody."

Semyon Varlamov has not skated since he made 21 saves in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals on Nov. 29. -- Stefen Rosner

Minnesota Wild

Defenseman Jonas Brodin and forward Mats Zuccarello each skated with the team, but neither played in a 7-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

"It's really good, just in the sense that they were able to skate," Minnesota coach John Hynes said. "They'll do some extra work after practice and then probably skating [Friday], and then we'll see.

"I don't have a timeline on them yet, other than that they've obviously progressed well to get in the team setting."

Zuccarello, who sustained a lower-body injury after being hit with a shot Nov. 14, has missed the past 13 games. He has 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 16 games this season.

Brodin has missed eight games because of an upper-body injury.

"Now maybe we'll get them a little bit of contact and some extra work and see how they respond," Hynes said.

Forward Joel Eriksson Ek, who sustained an upper-body injury following a hit in overtime during a 3-2 loss against the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 3, has not started skating. He has missed the past three games. -- Jessi Pierce

Chicago Blackhawks

Alec Martinez was placed on injured reserve Friday, retroactive to Dec. 7, because of a neck injury.

The defenseman was injured during a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 7, after a shot by Jets forward Adam Lowry deflected off his stick and hit him on the right side of his face at 1:15 of the third period.

Martinez, who has missed the past two games, has four points (one goal, three assists) and 38 blocked shots in 20:05 of ice time per game in 15 games this season.

Chicago, which visits the New Jersey Devils on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; CHSN, MSGSN, NHLN, SN), also recalled forward Frank Nazar from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Friday. The No. 13 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft has 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 21 AHL games this season.