Rangers' McDonagh endorses using tennis to exercise

NEW YORK -- A few weeks before NHL training camps open, New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh was at the U.S. Open on Monday for a youth tennis exhibition, where he discussed the importance of participating in multiple sports as a kid to stay healthy and active.

As a child, McDonagh played hockey, football and baseball.

"It's refreshing as a young kid to be able to put the baseball bat away and get the cleats out for football, and get the hockey gear out when the winter comes around," McDonagh said.

McDonagh has also become a tennis fan over the years.

"It's not a sport I played as a kid, but as I get older, you want to experience new sports and get a workout in if you can, and tennis is a great way to do that," McDonagh said. "I always liked the big servers, John Isner. Obviously [Roger] Federer is fun to watch and the top three guys, Federer, [Rafael] Nadal and [Novak] Djokovic, it's hard to complain when you are watching them live or on TV."

McDonagh, who sustained a broken foot during the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season but did not need surgery, is healthy and will try to help the Rangers go on another deep playoff run. After making the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, the Rangers were defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games in the Eastern Conference Final; they'll return most of the same roster.

"My foot is good. It feels pretty much normal now," McDonagh said. "Not even really thinking about it on a daily basis, so that's nice. Hopefully, [the injury] is in the past now.

"There's not as much change this year as on other [Rangers] teams I've experienced, which is a good thing hopefully. It shows management believes in us."

McDonagh also said he feels more comfortable entering his second season as Rangers captain.

"[It's] something that's just kind of feels more natural now and trying not to change who I am," he said. "Just trying to be a good teammate, someone who guys can look for examples both on and off the ice, and bounce questions off of what it's like to be a New York Ranger and what we are trying to accomplish here."

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