On Monday the New York Rangers announced that forward Derek Stepan will miss the next 4-6 weeks with two broken ribs. Stepan broke his ribs during Friday afternoon’s 4-3 loss to the Boston Bruins. Earlier in the weekend, the Rangers had announced that Stepan would be out indefinitely.
Derek Stepan Out With Two Broken Ribs
This will be the second straight year in which Stepan will be out for a chunk of the season with an injury. Last season, Stepan missed 14 games which includes the entire first month of the season due to a fractured leg. Before the injury, Stepan had never missed a single game in the first four seasons of his NHL career. He had only missed one playoff game in 2014 (Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final) when he broke his jaw after a hit from Brandon Prust. He’d come back to play games 5 and 6, as well as the Stanley Cup Final, with his jaw wired shut.
Stepan is currently tied for 6th in points on the Rangers, with 12 points (6 goals and 6 assists) in 23 games. Following the news of the Stepan rib injury, the Rangers called up Jayson Megna from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. This came just an hour after Alain Vigneault said that the Rangers would not call anyone up at todays press availability, where he discussed the Stepan Injury.
Jason Megna has put up 5 goals and 12 points in 21 games so far this season for the Wolf Pack. The New York Rangers’ next game is Wednesday against the New York Islanders at the Barclay Centre.
Main Photo: GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 17: Derek Stepan #21 of the New York Rangers skates up to a face off during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on December 17, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Rangers defeated the Coyotes 3-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
