Nash, Vesey Miss Wednesday's Practice

The Rangers were without forwards Rick Nash (groin), Jimmy Vesey (upper body) and Matt Puempel (concussion) at Wednesday's practice prior to heading to Winnipeg for back-to-back games with the Jets and Chicago Blackhawks.
Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault said Nash underwent a MRI on Wednesday, while Vesey is day-to-day and did travel with the team to Winnipeg. Puempel, meanwhile, will go through concussion protocol before returning to action.

Forward Nicklas Jensen was recalled from Hartford (AHL) on Wednesday and Michael Grabner is expected to return to the lineup Thursday night after missing Tuesday's contest following the death of his grandmother.
Josh Jooris, who was a healthy scratch Tuesday, is also an option to return to the lineup if Vesey is unable to play.
Wihle injuries are never welcomed, Vigneault said it's something all teams go through during the season. He added that this is an opportunity for others to step into larger roles.

"I just think this is part of the NHL and it is what it is. It's there and you deal with it," Vigneault said Wednesday. "You get a lot of players at different times that wish that they can get more ice time to prove that they can have a bigger role and that they can do more. Well, no better time than the present for us right now. I think this is a real good opportunity for some forwards here to get extra minutes."
One of those players is Oscar Lindberg, who played one of his better games this season on Tuesday when he finished with two shots and two hits in a season-high 15:03 of ice time.
The 25-year-old is coming off hip surgery this summer and said he is working to improve each game.
"I think last game was probably my best so far," said Lindberg, who has one assist in 12 games. "It's been a struggle coming back from everything but I'm trying to work hard and just trying to get better every game."
Vigneault said Lindberg will be counted on to contribute in both ends of the rink and on special teams.
"I'm looking for him to help us out at both ends of the rink," Vigneault said of Lindberg, before adding he'd be used at center. "Right now with Rick being out, he's going to get an opportunity to kill some penalties."

Jensen will be playing his first NHL game since the 2014-15 season when he was held without a point in five games with the Canucks. He said he's looking to just play his game and play it with confidence.
"It's obviously a hard situation. It's your first call up with a new team," said Jensen, who has eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in 21 games with the Wolf Pack this season. "Everything is a little different. You have to go out and play with confidence. There's a reason you got called up, because you've been playing the way they want you to play. You have to try and keep it simple and get into it, but you just have to go out there and play hockey."
Jensen, who the Rangers acquired in January from Vancouver for Emerson Etem, said he has to be responsible defensively, but also hopes to contribute offensively if the opportunity presents itself.
"I think that's the most important thing up here, to stick around you have to be reliable in all three zones," Jensen said. "That's what I want to focus on, to be good in my own end but to also be ready if the offense comes to hopefully create some chances there."