Malik Out Again

The Rangers snuck by Buffalo in the shootout last night and they sat out Marek Malik (Box 22). The team says he is out with an upper-body injury (shoulder?), instead of just being a healthy scratch. Malik has only seen 37 games this season with the Rangers and it was mildly surprising that they couldn't move him at the trade deadline. Malik's value to the Rangers is seemingly low, but with injuries and other defensemen who have been rather unreliable, Malik has found his way back into the line-up on several occasions, for whatever that's worth. The most likely possibility is that Malik will find a new home in July, after his contract ends this summer. Possibly, he may find some new life in new surroundings.