Rangers forward Blake Wheeler injured his right leg midway through the first period Thursday night against Montreal and had to be helped off the ice. After his team's 7-4 victory over the Canadiens, coach Peter Laviolette said Wheeler would be evaluated further, with an update provided on Friday. The 37-year-old right wing signed a one-year contract with the Rangers as a free agent last summer after 12 seasons with Winnipeg.
Blake Wheeler's regular season is over after injuring his right leg falling to the ice, and it might take the New York Rangers going on a lengthy playoff run to open the door for a possible return this spring. Wheeler was placed on injured reserve Friday and is out for at least the rest of the NHL regular season, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not provided an update on Wheeler’s status.