The Rangers get big Chris Kreider to start before the Avalanche showdown

The New York Rangers were without Chris Kreider since Jan. 4 with an upper-body injury. He was placed on injured reserve just as the team was starting to dig its hole in the standings. Amid trade rumors and a miserable season, he’s now healthy and ready to go. The Rangers activated Crider from injured reserve forward Tuesday’s matchup with the Colorado Avalanche.

“Chris Kreider has been activated off IR, according to the NHL media site,” Molly Walker of the New York Post reported Tuesday.

Bo Grolk was reassigned to the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League, per team. Kreider missed four games, and the Rangers picked up points in each of those games, going 3-0-1. The veteran was a big part of the team’s problems before the Christmas break. If he returns to 100%, they could make a late playoff push.

The Rangers have just a 15.2% chance of making the playoffs, according to Manipak. A rough start to the season will doom NHL teams, as there are so many teams to jump on and a point loss in overtime makes it difficult to make big moves. But a big winning streak could put them in contention in a weak Eastern Conference.

Could the Rangers make a second-half push?

Kreider has just 15 points in 34 games this season, with two assists. Poor performance it didn’t cost him a spot on Team USA for the upcoming 4 Nations duel but Rangers paid for it. Although the season is not over, now they have to accelerate.

Their game against the Avalanche on Tuesday is their last major opponent for a while. The game against Utah is followed by key must-win games in the Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets, Canadiens, Senators and Flyers are all ahead of them in the standings and on the schedule in that order.

While Kreider has been brutal this season, he can take it up a notch in this stretch. These teams have been better than the Rangers this season, but they are not better than them on paper. With Igor Shesterkin also back from injury, they now have a better roster than when this streak began.

There are plenty of other veterans who can make a big impact for the Rangers in the second half. Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin also need to step up, and the result from the blue line could improve as well.