Injury Report: Nash’s status for game 1

When the New York Rangers took to the ice this morning in preparation for their second round playoff series agains the Ottawa Senators, which begins Thursday evening in Ottawa, there was a noticeable omission from the team’s roster: veteran forward Rick Nash.

Nash’s absence led to speculation that he’d be out of the lineup for Thursday night’s contest, but Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault quickly scuttled such rumours. “

In true AV fashion, the veteran head coach deflected attention from his star player by using humor and nonchalance. It remains unknown why exactly Nash was sat out. Is he nursing a slight injury? Feeling under the weather? Whatever the reason, Vigneault did a masterful job of calming the media’s interest and changing the narrative. Expect Nash in the lineup, but don’t expect any answers beyond that.