NHL still quiet on PK Subban’s fate for clipping Rangers’ Sammy Blais

PK Subban may not be a repeat offender according to the NHL’s definition, but if the Devils defenseman has committed the same dangerous infraction on four separate occasions in the span of less than two months, then what is he?

Yet again, there was no word from the NHL’s department of player safety Monday regarding Subban clipping Sammy Blais’ skate and knocking the Rangers’ winger out of Sunday night’s game — and potentially for an extended period of time — in a third-period play in the corner of the Devils’ zone at Madison Square Garden.

Subban had already drawn the ire of the Rangers during their second preseason meeting on Oct. 6, when the defenseman swung his leg into Ryan Reaves in a similar battle in the corner. Even though Reaves only missed the Rangers preseason finale against the Islanders, there were no repercussions for Subban.

“A lot like the Reaves one that I saw,” head coach Gerard Gallant said bluntly Sunday night of Subban’s collision with Blais.

So the slew footing continued into the regular season. Subban has already been fined twice this season, in the span of eight days, for what George Parros and the rest of the department of player safety deemed “dangerous” trips. Though the Rangers likely aren’t expecting much support from Parros, whom the organization called “unfit” to continue in his current role in a scathing statement after his lack of discipline following the infamous Tom Wilson incident last season. In that one, the Capitals’ headhunter twice body-slammed Artemi Panarin and sucker-punched Pavel Buchnevich.

The first Subban incident resulted in a $5,000 slap on the wrist after the defenseman clearly extended his left leg to slew foot Milan Lucic on Oct. 26, which caused the Flames’ forward to fall to the ice and nearly bend his knee in the wrong direction. Facing the Ducks three games later, Subban took down Trevor Zegras in the corner after lifting his knee right into the Anaheim center. That cost Subban $15,000 — or about 0.17 percent of his $9 million salary.

Subban and the Devils won’t be back at the Garden until March 4, but the Rangers will want to circle that date on the calendar — for Subban is now a repeat offender against the Rangers.

Assuming Blais will miss some time, Gallant will have to rearrange his lineup once again. In some positive injury news, Filip Chytil is nearing his return from injured reserve and could be available as soon as Tuesday against the Canadiens.

Blais will have to be replaced on the right wing of the top line. Gallant could opt to go with someone who has already seen time on the first line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, such as Alexis Lafreniere or Barclay Goodrow, or try out a new combination.

While Chytil was out, Goodrow stepped into the third-line center role between Lafreniere and Julien Gauthier after playing exclusively on the wing since joining the Rangers. Gallant implied, however, that Goodrow would move back to the wing when Chytil returned.

“He can play and I’m happy with him anywhere,” Gallant said of Goodrow. “He’s doing a good job there. He’s solid. He’s played that position quite a bit over his career, so there’s no issues there for me.”

While center Greg McKegg was sent back down to AHL Hartford on Monday, presumably to make room for Chytil, the Rangers could call him right back up if Blais lands on IR. Recalling Morgan Barron from the Wolf Pack is another option, considering Gallant has said he’s comfortable using the Cornell product at both center and wing.

Even though the Rangers haven’t been able to establish any continuity with the lineup, their 9-3-3 record hasn’t reflected that.