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New York Rangers’ Derek Stepan could be placed on LTIR

By Catherine Silverman

Jun 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Rangers center Derek Stepan (21) battles for the puck with Los Angeles Kings center Jarret Stoll (28) during the first period in game five of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Rangers center Derek Stepan (21) battles for the puck with Los Angeles Kings center Jarret Stoll (28) during the first period in game five of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Derek Stepan could be placed on LTIR by the Rangers

The New York Rangers are currently in a bit of a situation in regards to Derek Stepan.

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    • The team is sitting less than $1 million under the salary cap; should be fine, were it not for the team’s first line center going down in preseason with a broken fibula.

    Derek Stepan played in all 82 games last season, racking up 17 goals and 40 assists during the regular season. He played with the maturity of a league veteran, despite turning 24 after the post-season had ended. He even played through the team’s near-successful Stanley Cup run, despite having suffered a broken jaw towards the start of the post-season.

    The team has a couple of options. They could place the forward on long-term injured reserve, which would free up the cap space to add another roster player in his position. They could also look within the organization, rearranging lines and shifting positions until things can work out without Stepan in the lineup.

    According to Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault, the team could be fine with the players they currently have. Derick Brassard holds his own as a top-six center, and could potentially step into Derek Stepan’s role until he’s cleared to play again. Dom Moore is an above-average bottom-six center, as well, and it’s possible that he could fill in for Brassard… who would, you know, be filling in for Stepan.

    Of course, the team has a couple of other options within the system. Martin St. Louis auditioned at center during practice this week, and seemed to do fine. There’s also the surplus of young guys- J.T. Miller and Kevin Hayes (whose name I’m already sick of, to be honest), for example. Oh! and the Rangers also have Mr. Last-in-Corsi Tanner Glass sitting around, waiting to save the day.

    Should the team choose to place Stepan on LTIR, though, he will be ineligible for at least 10 games. His injury is estimated to keep him out for four to six weeks. You do the math.

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