It’s a kick in the teeth by way of a puck to an ankle.
Ryan Callahan, the personification of the Black-and-Blueshirts’ mentality that has carried the Rangers to the cusp of the playoffs, will be out indefinitely with a broken right ankle he sustained blocking a Zdeno Chara shot with 1:45 to go in Tuesday’s stirring 5-3 victory over the Bruins.
“It’s long-term,” John Tortorella said Tuesday afternoon following an optional practice.
“There’s no comfort in losing Ryan Callahan. There’s nothing good about this, but we have to try to turn this into something that helps the team even more in this crunch time.”
The Rangers’ magic number for clinching a playoff spot is three points relating to Carolina with two games remaining. The Rangers will face the Thrashers at home on Thursday before Saturday afternoon’s Garden finale against the Devils. If the Hurricanes lose at home to the Red Wings on Wednesday night, the Rangers woiuld clinch with a victory against Atlanta.
“You play; you keep moving on and play,” said Tortorella, who said defenseman Matt Gilroy will move up to right wing against Atlanta. “Someone fills in and takes on the responsibility.”
Gilroy will play the wing against the Thashers but there is an outside chance that Chris Drury, who skated in the optional, might be able to step in against the Devils if the Rangers need that game to clinch.
The captain, who has been sidelined since Feb. 3 by a knee issue that required an arthroscopy, would not address an ETA.
“I just want to be able to practice tomorrow. That’s my mindset,” Drury said. “I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself as far as looking at a day or game [to return].”
Tortorella said Drury would practice for the first time with the full squad tomorrow, though he said, “It’s going to take time.”
Callahan missed 19 games from Dec. 16 through Jan. 25 with a broken right hand he suffered blocking a Kris Letang shot in Pittsburgh on Dec. 15. Drury sustained a broken finger in training camp.
“We’re going to keep blocking shots and playing the way we play,” said Tortorella, whose team is fourth in the NHL in blocked shots. “I don’t want to hear anything about it.”