The New York Rangers announced that centre Ryan Strome entered the COVID-19 protocol established by the NHL. Though the team chose not to provide a timeline, he’s only unavailable with certainty for one game. In his place, the club recalled Greg McKegg from their AHL affiliate squad.
UPDATE: Ryan Strome (COVID-19 protocol-related absence) will be unavailable for tomorrow’s game at Montreal. The team has recalled Greg McKegg from Hartford.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 15, 2021
Ryan Strome in COVID-19 Protocol
Through the first two games this season, Strome scored an assist along with a single minor penalty. Obviously its still very early in the campaign, and this setback shouldn’t be long-term. He averaged 18:18 in ice time in those first two games, slightly more than his totals from a season ago. Also similar to last year, his relative Corsi-for percentage thus far sits at a strong 10.1%. His presence will be missed, but the team expects to have him back in the fold in short order.
Over his nine-year NHL career, Strome suited for the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, and now the Rangers. He posted 109 goals and 195 assists thus far, for 304 career points in 549 career games. Originally drafted by the Islanders in the first round, fifth overall in the 2011 NHL draft, Strome plays a responsible two-way game with sharp offensive ability.
What This Means for the Future
Again, the COVID-19 concern with Strome should not keep him out long. Nothing is ever certain with the disease, though. A larger concern of course is keeping the case from becoming an outbreak. Isolating Strome, whether symptomatic or not, helps prevent the disease from spreading throughout the team. The Seattle Kraken just dealt with this scenario ahead of their franchise debut Tuesday night. The league reported extremely positive vaccination numbers though, which absolutely helps fight the pandemic and its threat to the game.
The Rangers are a promising young team still looking for their first win of the season. Strome hopes they can achieve that without him, and then return to the lineup to help push them onward and upward.
