Rangers captain Callahan likely to start on IR

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Ryan Callahan's rehab from offseason shoulder surgery is still going as planned, but that also means the New York Rangers captain will likely have to start the regular season on injured reserve.

Callahan and Rangers forward Carl Hagelin had shoulder surgery in late May after the Rangers were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hagelin also is not expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

"Right now I don't [plan to be ready for opening night]," Callahan said. "I guess you never know, but you've gotta see how it progresses. That's really what it's all about. The next step is contact and that's a whole new situation where you have to make sure it feels good during contact. To put a date on it or a timeframe it would be a guess. I think once you start getting into contact then you have a better idea of when you'll be back."

Callahan is skating and shooting the puck in training camp but said he doesn't know when he'll be able to start taking contact.

"Hopefully sooner than later," he said.

What's holding him back?

"Just time," he said. "I've got full range of motion, I can shoot now. I'm still trying to get my strength to where it needs to be and that's part of it, but with this surgery it's just time. You don't want to jump back too early, get into contact and it pops out on you again."

Follow Dan Rosen on Twitter at: @drosennhl