Jacob Trouba is nearing a return to the lineup.
The Rangers’ captain said he still needs approval from the team’s training staff, but he feels good after suffering a lower-body injury that sidelined him the last 11 games.
Head coach Peter Laviolette wouldn’t reveal whether Trouba could play against the Coyotes on Saturday at Mullett Arena, saying that they’re still working through some things regarding the big-bodied defenseman.
“A lot of sitting and waiting,” Trouba said of the recovery process. “It was good, the team is obviously playing really well. A lot of guys have stepped up. The guys that I’m talking about [Braden Schneider], [Zac Jones], [K’Andre Miller] has been playing really well. A lot of those guys have taken a lot and it’s been fun for me to watch and see them kind of grow — especially Schneids. He’s really stepped up and taken advantage of the ice time and the minutes.”
Laviolette said he doesn’t foresee any issues with Adam Fox, who briefly came out of the Colorado game and didn’t compete in the overtime.
“He would’ve played,” Laviolette said. “We just didn’t get him back in time.”
Defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who is slated to miss his third game on Saturday with an upper-body injury, did not make the trip.
He’s still day-to-day.
