The Rangers can rest a little easier about Artemi Panarin’s status heading into opening night, but less so about Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey.
The Breadman returned to practice with the team on Monday for the first time since exiting a preseason game early last week with a lower-body injury — the second such time that occurred — and the mood was optimistic that Panarin would be able to play on Wednesday night in Pittsburgh when the Rangers open their season.
“We’re still a couple days out on that,” coach Peter Laviolette told reporters. “What you saw is exactly what happened. He made it through the practice today without any issues and that’s a positive.”
Panarin was a little less circumspect, saying that his plan is to play against the Penguins, according to LoHud.
“I feel good right now,” he told reporters. “I hope I’m good to go.”
Lindgren, however, was placed on injured reserve, with Jimmy Vesey going on LTIR, industry sources told The Post’s Larry Brooks ahead of Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline.
Lindgren, who was hurt in the preseason opener while fighting Scott Mayfield of the Islanders, continued to skate on his own Monday but has yet to rejoin the team, which continued to line up K’Andre Miller alongside Adam Fox, with Victor Mancini playing on the third pair with Zac Jones.
Vesey, by dint of being on LTIR, is now guaranteed to miss the first 10 games and 24 days of the regular season. The Rangers will save $800,000 against the cap with his absence, however, allowing them some extra flexibility in shaping the roster.
The Rangers also made a number of paper transactions, per Brooks, sending Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom, Victor Mancini and Brett Berard to AHL Hartford, with Jake Leschyshyn, Anton Blidh, Ben Harpur and Adam Sykora being recalled.
That is not, however, indicative of the roster the Blueshirts will roll out on Wednesday in Pittsburgh, but merely a series of moves for salary purposes, with more to come on Tuesday.
Mika Zibanejad missed practice Monday due to maintenance, with Berard skating in No. 93’s usual spot between Chris Kreider and Reilly Smith before being sent down at the 5 p.m. roster deadline.
“He made an impression on everybody,” Laviolette said of Berard. “It’s the way he works and the way he competes. You see him out here mixed with the full NHL team, he looks really good. It’s his speed, it’s his tenacity, it’s his ability to make plays.”