Rangers coach Gerard Gallant on Ryan Lindgren's injury: 'Bad hit, dirty hit'
T.J. Oshie #77 of the Washington Capitals and Barclay Goodrow #21 of the New York Rangers fight during the first period at Capital One Arena on February 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. Credit: Getty Images
WASHINGTON — Gerard Gallant didn’t mince words when asked what he thought about the hit by Capitals forward T.J. Oshie that injured Ryan Lindgren on Saturday.
“Bad hit, dirty hit,’’ Gallant said. “The guy’s got no chance to protect himself. I’m disappointed there wasn’t a penalty, a five-minute major . . . and I like that hockey player, don’t get me wrong. But it’s a bad hit.”
After both chased the puck, Oshie drove Lindgren into the boards. He crumpled onto the ice as Oshie covered him, aware he was injured. Lindgren left at 8:11 of the first period and went to the locker room. On the drop of the puck to start the next shift, Barclay Goodrow fought Oshie.
Lindgren did not return, and the Rangers said he suffered an upper-body injury. Gallant said he is “day-to-day. We’ll know more tomorrow.’’
With the trade of Vitali Kravtsov to Vancouver on Saturday and Jake Leschyshyn placed on waivers, the Rangers do not have a spare player on the NHL roster. And because of the salary cap and how cap space accrues daily, they can’t finalize a possible trade for Patrick Kane on Sunday.
So if Lindgren can’t play Sunday against the Kings at the Garden, they might have to play with 17 skaters, as the math required to fit Kane under the salary cap won’t allow them to call up a player.
Farewell to Kravtsov
Gallant found out about the trade of Kravtsov after the game. He was sent to Vancouver for AHL forward Will Lockwood and a seventh-round pick in 2026. “It gives him a fresh opportunity,’’ Gallant said.
“He was a good kid here. He came and he worked hard every day with us, and it’s just an opportunity for our team. Kravy’s moving on and I wish him nothing but the best, because he really worked hard and he tried this year . . . We just couldn’t find a spot in our lineup for him.”
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
