New York Rangers defenceman Marc Staal was a late scratch from Wednesday’s game with an upper-body injury, the team announced.
It is unclear exactly when the injury occurred but it is believed to have happened some time during the Rangers’ 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
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Head coach Alain Vigneault later told reporters on Wednesday that Staal would be out until after the team’s five-day bye week, which ends on Jan.13.
Before that bye week, the Rangers have two more games, on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers and on Saturday, when they host the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets.
Staal, who has missed significant time with concussions and an eye injury throughout his career, will be replaced in the Rangers’ lineup by fellow blue-liner Adam Clendening.
Clending, 24, has three assists in nine games this season, while Staal, 29, has six points (three goals, three assists) in 40 games.
