The Rangers pulled defenseman Adam McQuaid from Thursday's home game against the Wild during the first period and announced he won't return for "precautionary" reasons.
David Quinn said after the game that McQuaid had an upper-body issue and "probably could've gone back in," but the team played it safe and kept him out.
McQuaid is one of the trade chips the Rangers can cash in ahead of Monday's NHL trade deadline. McQuaid played 5:22 in the first, blocking a shot and committing a tripping penalty.
It was curious that McQuaid, along with other trade targets Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello, dressed for the game at all with Monday's 3 p.m. deadline drawing closer.
The Blueshirts acquired McQuaid before the season from Boston in exchange for Steven Kampfer, a 2019 fourth-round pick and a conditional seventh-rounder.
