Rangers Place Sean Durzi on IR, Already Past 7-Day Minimum

Sean Durzi's placement on injured reserve is backdated seven days, meaning the Rangers defenseman is already eligible to be activated even though he just landed on the list ahead of Thursday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden, according to the New York Post.

The 28-year-old's IR designation is retroactive to Oct. 26, the Post reported, which satisfies the league's required seven-day minimum stay and clears the way for the Rangers to recall him to the active roster whenever his lower-body injury allows.

Why was Durzi's IR move backdated to Oct. 26?

The retroactive date reflects when Durzi first began showing symptoms of the injury rather than when the Rangers formally announced the move, per the Post. The defenseman had missed a handful of practices in the preceding weeks, which the team initially described as "maintenance" before head coach Mike Sullivan later acknowledged that his second-pair defenseman was, in fact, dealing with an injury, according to the outlet.

Durzi did not sit out every practice or morning skate during that stretch, the Post noted, but the dip in his on-ice performance tracked with the onset of the issue.

What is the nature of Durzi's injury?

The Rangers have labeled the ailment a lower-body injury, the Post reported, pushing back on speculation that surfaced after Durzi blocked a shot with his hand during a win over the Anaheim Ducks last month. A source cited by the Post refuted the notion that Durzi suffered a hand injury, reiterating that the issue is located in the lower body.

How has the Rangers' defense absorbed the loss?

Durzi's placement on IR marks the first time this season that the defense corps has lost a player to IR or long-term injured reserve, the Post reported, noting that the Rangers had already been forced to place three other lineup regulars on the list before Durzi joined them. With Durzi out, Scott Morrow has stepped into the lineup for three straight games, according to the Post, continuing to skate on the right side of Adam Fox's defensive partner, Victor Mancini, alongside Alberts Smits.

In goal, Dylan Garand stopped 23 of 25 shots Thursday for his sixth win of the season, the Post reported, as the Rangers beat the Flyers 3-2 at Madison Square Garden the same night Durzi's IR move was finalized.

What did Mike Sullivan say about Durzi's return timeline?

Sullivan, addressing reporters before Thursday's game, declined to commit to a firm date for Durzi's return. "I don't know that he's going to make the [upcoming Seattle-Western Canada] trip initially," Sullivan said, according to the Post. "I think it all depends on how he progresses."

That caveat leaves open the possibility that Durzi, despite already clearing the seven-day minimum, could miss the Rangers' coming road swing through Seattle and Western Canada while the team monitors his recovery.

What other roster moves accompanied the Durzi news?

The Rangers also placed goaltender James Reimer on waivers Thursday, the Post reported, a move made in anticipation of Joonas Korpisalo's return from a foot infection that has kept him out since the start of the season. Asked whether Korpisalo would join the team for the upcoming trip, Sullivan offered a brief answer: "I believe he is," he said, per the Post.

The moves leave the Rangers managing a crowded injury list on defense and in net simultaneously, even as the team picked up two points against Philadelphia. Durzi's retroactive IR date gives New York flexibility to activate him on short notice once Sullivan and the medical staff determine he is ready, rather than waiting out a fresh seven-day clock from Thursday's announcement.

For now, the Rangers' coaching staff is treating Durzi's status day to day, with the Seattle-Western Canada trip serving as the next checkpoint for whether the defenseman rejoins the lineup or continues to sit while the lower-body issue resolves.