Adam Fox activated off IR, returns to lineup in huge Rangers boost

Adam Fox was activated off injured reserve ahead of the Rangers matchup with the Blue Jackets on Saturday night. 

The 27-year-old defenseman had missed the previous eight games with an upper-body injury, which he presumably suffered when he fell on his shoulder after getting entangled with Kyle MacLean in the 5-1 win over the Islanders on Feb. 25. 

“He’s trending that way,” head coach Peter Laviolette said when asked if Fox would play Saturday night against the Blue Jackets before the defenseman ultimately suited up for the Rangers.

Adam Fox was activated off injured reserve on Saturday.

“Any time you lose one of your top minute guys, top producers, you’re going to feel it. I think other guys have stepped up, we’ve done some good things. When he does come back, it’ll be nice to have him there.” 

It was the second-longest injury stint of Fox’s six-year NHL career, after the Jericho, N.Y., native missed 10 straight games last season on long-term injured reserve with a knee injury. 

That injury, of course, was aggravated in the playoffs and limited Fox. 

Fox had registered at least a point in each of his last seven games, over which he posted two goals and six assists. 

Adam Fox got injured in a February games against the Islanders.

Despite missing as much time as he did, Fox is still tied with Mika Zibanejad for the third-most points on the team at 48 (five goals, 43 assists). 

Fox took reps in his usual post at the top of the Rangers’ first power-play unit, along with J.T. Miller, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin and Zibanejad.

That bumped Zac Jones to quarterback the second group with Vincent Trocheck, Alexis Lafrenière, Jonny Brodzinski and Will Cuylle. 

If Fox was good to go Saturday night, Carson Soucy was slated to serve as the healthy scratch after spending extra time on the Nationwide Arena ice in the morning.

He was expected to watch from the press box with fellow scratches Calvin de Haan and Juuso Parssinen.