RALEIGH, N.C. — Rest assured, if it had been May, Brady Skjei would have been able to play. But it is mid-February of what is shaping up to be a playoff-less season, so in conjunction with trainer Jim Ramsay, it was decided the Rangers defenseman was better off sitting out Sunday’s 6-5 loss in Pittsburgh and resting his “tweaked” leg injury.
Yet Skjei was back on the ice at an optional skate Monday, doing all of the stopping and starting without any sign of hinderance. That leads one to believe he will be ready for a return with Tuesday night’s game here against the Hurricanes.