Bad news for the Rangers regarding Ryan McDonagh.

The Rangers are already facing an extremely tough challenge in the red hot Pittsburgh Penguins in their first round playoff match up, and now it appears they will be severely handicapped when the postseason begins.

According to multiple reports the Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh will not be available for the start of the playoffs due to the hand injury he suffered late in the regular season. Casting further doubt on his availability is an ESPN report that revealed McDonagh did not practice with his teammates on Monday, eventually leading Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault to confirm he would not be starting.

From ESPN:

Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh didn't practice Monday because of a hand injury and is unlikely to start when the series opens in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

Without McDonagh the job will be even tougher. He skated before practice.

Vigneault described his status as day to day, later adding that he would not start.

The Rangers will be hard pressed to fill the hole left by McDonagh's absence, and according to Rangers forward Rick Nash, it's an impossible task.

"I don't think you can compensate to fill the boots of a guy like that," Nash said of McDonagh. "He is obviously our captain, our best player. It's going to give another guy a chance to step up. You have to look at the positives out of every situation."

The Rangers will need to dig deep if they want to get off to a good start, and hopefully last long enough for McDonagh to heal up and make his return.

[pub]