Major development surfaces from the New York Rangers practice: Star defenseman has returned

For the first time since being placed on long-term injured reserve, Fox was back on the ice with his teammates, skating in a non-contact jersey ahead of the Rangers' game against the St. Louis Blues. While he will not play Thursday night, the sight alone mattered.

Fox has been out since November 29th, when he suffered an upper-body injury during a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at MSG. One day later, on November 30th, the Rangers placed their star defenseman on LTIR, forcing a major reshuffle on the blue line.

Since then, the Rangers have tried to survive without their best puck-mover, power-play quarterback, and calmest presence under pressure. The results have been uneven, at best.

Fox's return to practice signals progress, even if contact remains off limits. Skating with the team suggests the recovery phase is moving forward, not stalling.

Just seeing No. 23 out there again changes the mood. This team looks different when he's part of it, even in a sweater that says no contact.

The 27-year-old defenseman logs massive minutes when healthy and drives play in ways few defensemen can. His absence has been felt everywhere, from breakout struggles to a power play that lost its rhythm.

Head coach Mike Sullivan has leaned heavily on pairings like Vladislav Gavrikov and Braden Schneider in Fox's absence, and while they've been solid, they can't replicate Fox's offensive instincts during the team's power-play.

There's still work ahead. Fox needs contact clearance, timing, and conditioning before returning to game action. No one inside the organization is rushing it.

But this matters. With scoring issues mounting and patience thinning, getting Fox closer to a return feels like reinforcements finally approaching.