Sigh. As much as I joked the power play was better without you, I hope whatever your injury is isn’t too serious. (Photo: Robert Kowal/flickr)

The good news this morning was that Brad Richards was on the ice for the Rangers optional pre-game skate. The bad news? He didn’t make it through the practice and was not in the locker room when the media entered. As speculation started on if he would play tonight, the Rangers announced Micheal Haley had been recalled from the Whale.

I have no idea if Richards is going to play tonight. Signs point to him not but you never know. I also have no idea what his injury is – it could be a concussion, it could be he can’t stand up straight, it could be a shoulder injury (which is what I initially thought was the problem as I watched him writher in pain Sunday night) or it could be something entirely else. As much as I don’t want him to have back or shoulder problems, I really hope it isn’t the first one on that list being that he played the rest of the game and actually skated this morning. Guess we just wait and see.

As for Haley, I think it’s pretty obvious why he was the one chosen to come up for tonights’ game. While he has been more than just a goon for the Whale, I doubt he is in New York for his scoring ability. The question becomes, if he plays, who does he fight first? Zac Rinaldo is too obvious so I’m placing money on someone like Wayne Simmonds.