The New York Rangers were dealt a massive blow on Saturday.
Igor Shesterkin, their superstar number-one goaltender, will be out for the rest of the season due to a lower-body injury he suffered in a 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, Friday night. The Rangers had won four of their first five games to start the season before Shesterkin got hurt.
The injury occurred 8:20 into the second period when the Russian goaltender jammed his right skate into the goalpost while scrambling back to the net. Shesterkin’s right leg bent awkwardly as he fell to the ice in pain, unable to get up.
After being tended to by the trainer for several minutes, Shesterkin was helped off the ice by the Rangers’ Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson, not putting any weight on his right leg. He was then helped down to the locker room.
After the game, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan described the moment as “concerning,” but did not provide an update to the press.
“He’s an elite goaltender,” Sullivan said. “You don’t ever want to see anyone get hurt, (but) obviously, he’s an important player for us.
“I’ve said it on so many different occasions, he’s one of amongst the best goaltenders in the world, if not the best. He’s that good.”
The Rangers will now turn to Dylan Garand as their number-one starter in net for the time being as the team’s other backup, Joonas Korpisalo, is out another four weeks due to a lower-body injury, per the team.
“It’s awful,” Rangers captain JT Miller said of Shesterkin’s injury. “He’s a pillar of this team. It stinks. Obviously, it’s young. We don’t even know what’s going on, but to see him leave the game is a shock to all of us. At the same time, it means we got to step up to a man to try to get the job done, especially for G [Dylan Garand].”
Garand’s first start of the season, on October 2 against the Detroit Red Wings, was a success as he made 22 saves in the team’s 2-0 shutout victory — his first in the NHL. In five career NHL games, the 24-year-old netminder is 3-1-1 with a 1.31 goals against average, and .954 save percentage.
After not making the Rangers’ opening night roster, Garand cleared waivers and was sent down on September 28 before being recalled from the American Hockey League’s Hartford Wolf Pack on October 1.
Shesterkin has gone 190-108-28 with a 2.51 goals-against average, .917 save percentage, and 22 shutouts in 329 career NHL games, winning the Vezina Trophy in 2021-22. He was named to the NHL First All-Star Team that season, and has twice appeared in the NHL All-Star Game.
