If the Rangers are going to make up the necessary ground over their last 27 games in the regular season to grab a wild-card playoff spot, they are going to need their stars who have underperformed this season to turn things around and start at least meeting expectations.

Igor Shesterkin returned to practice on Wednesday, his first since he presumably sustained the injury during the team’s loss to the Penguins on Feb. 7.

That was actually a mouthful from Laviolette considering all he said earlier in the week was that Shesterkin remained day to day. This is the best possible outcome for the Rangers