Rangers Likely To Open Season Without Captain Chris Drury

The New York Rangers and Chris Drury received a tough break Monday morning when the 34-year old captain broke his left index finger during a team scrimmage while attempting to block a shot. He is expected to be out for four weeks, which would have him back on October 18 - or nine days after the Rangers open the regular season on October 9 against the Buffalo Sabres.

“It’s a tough break for him,” Head Coach John Tortorella told Jim Cerny of newyorkrangers.com. “He’s a big part of our club as far as what he brings on and off the ice. I know he was anxious to get back at it this year, but you never know with a guy like him how quickly he can come back."

Drury has been pretty durable for the Rangers during his previous three seasons with the club. He missed five games last season with a concussion, but otherwise has only missed a total of six games out of a possible 246 with New York.

“He’s our captain, a big part of our team, so it’s bad news,” top line right wing Marian Gaborik said. “He works hard every game, does his job on both ends of the ice. We are going to miss him, but we have to manage to do the best we can without him.”

Drury is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $35.25 million contract signed as an unrestricted free agent in 2007. He has largely failed to live up to the offensive expectations as a clutch goal scorer earned as a member of the Buffalo Sabres and the Colorado Avalance. However, he remains a tremendous leader for the organization on and off the ice, as well as a key two-way asset with good penalty killing skills.