Matt Puempel estimated that in his first “20 years” of playing hockey, he didn’t get one concussion. But since the Rangers picked up the 23-year-old forward off waivers from the Senators on Nov. 25, he has suffered two.
“I don’t think they were related — maybe, maybe not; it’s hard to tell,” Puempel said after Wednesday’s practice in Westchester, his first with the team since being cleared for contact after suffering the second concussion Dec. 31 against the Avalanche. The first came on Dec. 6.
“I think this one, we kind of slowed down the process because it was two so close together,” he said.