Fox, Shesterkin out indefinitely, Miller to return for Rangers against Sabres

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- There is no definitive timeline for how long the New York Rangers will be without defenseman Adam Fox and goalie Igor Shesterkin, but forward J.T. Miller will return against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, MSG).

"Lose two, gain one, I guess," center Vincent Trocheck said after practice Wednesday.

Fox and Shesterkin each sustained a lower-body injury in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Fox, who was injured late in the third period, was placed on long-term injured reserve Tuesday, requiring him to miss at least 10 games and 24 days. He isn't eligible to return until Jan. 31, but Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said he wasn't sure if he would be ready to return then. Shesterkin, who was injured in the first period, was placed on injured reserve.

This is Fox's second stint on LTIR in just over five weeks; he sustained an upper-body injury against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 29. The Rangers played 14 games without him from Dec. 2-29, going 6-5-3. They averaged 2.36 goals per game and convered at 15.4 percent on the power play during his absence.

New York (20-18-6) scored 10 goals and went 5-for-8 on the power play in the three games Fox played between injuries.

Vladislav Gavrikov will get the first crack at replacing Fox on the top power-play unit with Trocheck, Miller, Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin.

"Huge opportunity for me," Gavrikov said.

Sullivan said the simplicity to Gavrikov's game and his offensive instincts, which the coach admits have surprised him this season, are the reasons why he's getting a look there.

"It's not like we're going to have another Adam Fox step up out of nowhere," Trocheck said. "You can't ask 'Gavvy' to go out there on the power play and be Adam Fox. 'Gavvy' has to play his game and play the way he knows how to play on the power play."

The Rangers recalled defenseman Scott Morrow and goalie Spencer Martin from Hartford of the American Hockey League to replace Fox and Shesterkin. Goalie Jonathan Quick will start against the Sabres and is expected to get the lion's share of the work in Shesterkin's absence.

"The message is that we've got to control what we can and stay in the moment, let's look at the one game in front of us and let's put our best effort on the ice," Sullivan said. "I think if we play a team game and we compete hard and there is collective effort on both sides of the puck, I believe we have what it takes to be in every game, give ourselves a chance. Obviously, we're a better team when those guys are in our lineup. I'm stating the obvious there. But it's going to provide opportunities for others to step up, play a more significant role, get more ice time. It's an opportunity for people to make an impact."

Shesterkin leads the NHL in games played this season, starting 34 of New York's 44 games. He is 17-12-4 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.

Quick is 3-6-2 in 11 games (10 starts) but has a 2.23 GAA and a .919 save percentage. He made 15 saves on 18 shots in relief of Shesterkin on Monday.

"I'm pretty confident with our goalie group even without 'Shesty'," Gavrikov said. "'Quickie' has been unbelievable. He stepped up the last game too. He's capable of that. He's proven himself so many times and I can't see any problem with him. I'm very confident."

But without Fox and Shesterkin, defenseman Braden Schneider said the Rangers will have to focus in on the details of the game because those will be magnified by losing arguably their two most indispensable players.

"Those are two of our best players, if not our best players," Schneider said. "We're in the race so we can't take a look back and feel bad for ourselves because a bad week and you're in last and a good week you're right back in it."

New York is seventh in the Metropolitan Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference, but just three points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Miller returns after missing seven games with an upper-body injury he sustained against the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 20. The forward has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 35 games and was named to Team USA's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

"Losing two guys like 'Shesty' and 'Foxy' hurts," Trocheck said. "Getting a guy back like J.T. obviously makes it a little bit less painful."

In addition, forward Alexis Lafreniere was sick and did not practice Wednesday. His status for Thursday is unclear.