Ryan Lindgren's injury gives Rangers a chance to see K'Andre Miller paired with Adam Fox

Certainly, the Rangers would have preferred to have rugged, top pair defenseman Ryan Lindgren in the lineup Saturday night when they played the Utah Hockey Club in the regular season home opener at Madison Square Garden. But if there’s a bright side to Lindgren being out with an upper body injury, it’s that his short-term absence has offered coach Peter Laviolette and the Garden fans a chance to get a sneak peek at what the Rangers’ defense could look like in the not-too-distant future.

First, Lindgren starting the season on injured reserve meant that exciting rookie Victor Mancini was able to make the team out of training camp and play his first two NHL games, last Wednesday in the season opener in Pittsburgh, and Saturday in front of the adoring Garden crowd.

But second, not having Lindgren riding shotgun on the left of partner Adam Fox also gave Laviolette the opportunity to see what Fox and K’Andre Miller look like together as a potential top pair.

“I think Key is one of our top defensemen,’’ Laviolette said last week. “He plays the toughest minutes, and he plays against the top players, and he can skate, he can move the puck, he can defend. He does so many things well.’’

A partnership between Fox, a former Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman, with Miller, a 6-5, 210-pound former first-round pick, has always been intriguing. But as long as Lindgren – Fox’s steady partner dating to their days together at the U.S. National Team Development Program – was around, there wasn’t much of an opportunity to see a Fox-Miller pairing.

Seeing them together now, with Lindgren out, could provide useful information for Laviolette as far as potential options he may have later in the season or beyond.

Miller, 24, was asked if he feels it incumbent on him to adjust to Fox, 26, and play off him, rather than expecting Fox to adjust to him.

“I think it kind of works both ways,’’ Miller said. “We can both break down defenses really well, and break out the puck pretty well, leading to our offensive chances. So I think the biggest thing for us is just being good defensively. And obviously the offense will come for us, and the chances will come.’’

The duo looked good in the opener against Pittsburgh (though, to be fair, pretty much everyone looked good in a convincing 6-0 win). In their 13 minutes, 58 seconds together at even strength, the Rangers outshot the Penguins 13-6, outscored them 2-0, and had more scoring chances (13-8) and more expected goals (1.51 xGF, compared to 0.71 xGA).

Fox and Miller were back together again Saturday against Utah, but Lindgren will be returning to the lineup soon. On IR, Lindgren has to sit out seven days, which means he is eligible to return as soon as Thursday when the Rangers visit Detroit. He has been practicing with the team, wearing a non-contact jersey, since the morning skate Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

Nothing is assured beyond this season, however. Lindgren signed a one-year deal, meaning he again will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. And with the team needing to re-sign several big name players – most notably, goaltender Igor Shesterkin, forward Alexis Lafreniere, and Miller – it’s not a certainty they will have enough money available under the cap to bring back Lindgren, too.

So while Fox and Miller may look like a short-term pairing now, it could be a longer-term thing soon.

Quick change in time

Igor Shesterkin, coming off a 29-save shutout in the season opener, was back in net against Utah. With no back-to-back sets of games coming up until Nov. 29-30, Laviolette was asked Saturday morning how soon he might get backup Jonathan Quick into a game.

“There's always a plan,’’ Laviolette said. “Quickie's working hard out here. But there is a plan… the schedule's not overly taxing right now, but we'll have guys ready when it's time for him to go.’’

Rempe returns

Laviolette made one change in the lineup against Utah. Forward Matt Rempe was in, after being a healthy scratch in Pittsburgh. Jonny Brodzinski came out of the lineup. He and D Chad Ruhwedel were the scratches.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

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.