On Wednesday, the Rangers recalled forward Jake Leschyshyn from the Wolf Pack. The move was one that hinted at something else happening.

A day later, Nick Bonino didn’t participate in team practice. The reason was personal. As it turned out, the Rangers are set to place Bonino on waivers.

Signed last summer by Rangers Team President and general ganager Chris Drury, the well-respected veteran pivot was reunited with coach Peter Laviolette. He also played for him with the Predators between 2017-18 and 2019-20.

Bonino was brought in to play a checking role for the Rangers. Initially, that’s how he was utilized. He anchored the fourth line between Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey. For a while, they were an effective trio who spent time in the opponents’ end while playing well defensively.

When Filip Chytil went down with a concussion on Nov. 2 that altered the lineup. Laviolette chose to have Bonino move up to center the third line. He played with Will Cuylle and Blake Wheeler. Eventually, Wheeler was moved up to the first line to play with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Prior to getting hurt on Nov. 27, Kaapo Kakko spent some time on the third line.

After some initial success, the third line struggled to contribute offensively. Bonino was miscast in a top nine role. He didn’t have the skating or speed to make it work. Even after Jonny Brodzinski provided a spark, they weren’t doing enough to be considered a third line. The injuries to Chytil and Kakko hurt the Rangers’ scoring depth. Even with Kakko back in the lineup, the bottom six forwards remain a concern.

When the Rangers lost to the Kings on Jan. 20, Laviolette scratched Bonino. Tyler Pitlick replaced him on the fourth line. Following the game, Laviolette indicated that he liked how the trio of Goodrow, Vesey, and Pitlick played. That might’ve been a hint that something was up.

Bonino returned to the lineup the last two games. In a 3-2 overtime loss to the Sharks on Jan. 23, Bonino was on for two goals against in the third period. That included losing a faceoff – leading to Ryan Carpenter tying the game. Even though he played over 13 minutes, it was another game where he struggled.

The decision to waive Bonino wasn’t an easy one. A gritty player who led all Rangers’ forwards in blocked shots with 78, he always put in an honest effort. However, very bad puck possession metrics were hard to ignore.

“He met with Chris Drury this morning… It’s the decision that was made… I’ve worked with Nick for a quite a few years going back to Nashville. I can’t speak enough about him as a person. He’s just a good guy, a good teammate. It’s a tough day,” Laviolette told reporters following practice.

In 45 games as a Ranger, Bonino finished with one goal and four assists for five points and a minus-12 rating. He won 51.0 percent of faceoffs and served a role on the penalty kill. A good guy who’s played 868 career games, Bonino could be claimed by another team. If not, he’d be assigned to the Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL).

No matter what you thought about Bonino, it’s a tough day. Any time a high character player is told they’re no longer needed, it isn’t something to celebrate. You wouldn’t know it by some of the reactions on social media. Have a little class and respect.

As far as the lineup goes, Laviolette had Wheeler back with Zibanejad and Kreider. Kakko skated with Brodzinski and Cuylle. Filip Chytil skated in a red no-contact jersey. He subbed in on the third line. A hint that if he’s cleared to return, perhaps a Chytil, Cuylle, Kakko trio could comprise the third line. We won’t know until after the All-Star break.

As expected, Goodrow centered the checking line with Vesey and Pitlick. The Rangers should be lining up this way when they host the Golden Knights on Friday.

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Regarding the defense, there’ll be one change. Laviolette’s decided to split up Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox. Instead, Erik Gustafsson will pair up with Fox. Lindgren will shift to the third pair to work with Braden Schneider.

By making this move, it appears Laviolette wants to see more puck possession from the top pair. Gustafsson certainly checks the boxes due to his skating and offensive instincts. The Rangers don’t spend enough time in opponents’ ends. Maybe they can help Zibanejad and Kreider find their game. They’re still together despite less than ideal numbers.

For now, Laviolette will keep K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba together. They remain the Rangers’ matchup pair that draws most of the tough assignments. Despite a noticeable dip in their play, they’re being given more time to see if they can rediscover the form that worked earlier in the season.

The Rangers play two games before the All-Star break. After hosting Vegas tomorrow night, they’ll take on the Senators on Saturday night. It’s important for them to get things moving in the right direction. We’ll see how the lineup changes go.