Joseph Veleno had to be helped to the dressing room Sunday night, and the New York Rangers forward put no weight on his right leg.
Peter Baugh reported that Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson helped him off after he went into the boards hard while trying to finish a check on Clayton Keller.
Jonny Lazarus said Veleno appeared to be hurt and struggled getting back to the bench after getting tangled up with Keller.
Neither report included an update on his status or the nature of the injury.
That's a scary sequence. When two teammates have to carry you off, nobody in the building is thinking about the scoreboard anymore, win or lose.
It's missing a step on the stairs with your arms full. One bad landing, and the whole day changes in a hurry.
Who fills the hole? Baugh wondered whether the Rangers would slot someone in at fourth-line center or just roll three lines.
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Mike Sullivan's center depth faces an early test
Veleno is 26 and carries a $1,200,000 cap hit.
He was still looking for his first point through three games this season.
Keller came in with four assists in two games, three of them on the power play.
He's 28 and carries a $7,150,000 cap hit.
Durzi scored the winner on the power play in Friday's 2-0 win in Detroit. He carries a $6,000,000 cap hit, and Pettersson is at $5,500,000.
The Rangers came in 2-1-0, a stretch that included Igor Shesterkin's goalie goal against Tampa Bay.
They're already without Joonas Korpisalo, on injured reserve until at least October 9.
The same game featured a big scrum at center ice right after an early Rangers goal.
Andre Tourigny's Utah group came in 2-0-0 after outscoring Chicago and Columbus 10-1.
The Rangers host the Islanders on Tuesday, so a lineup decision is coming fast.
Sullivan can get through one night with three centers. If the injury is serious, the depth up the middle gets a real test before the week is out.
Should the Rangers make a move for another center if Joseph Veleno is out long term?
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