The New York Rangers’ fast start took a hit in a hurry when Igor Shesterkin went down with an injury against the Washington Capitals.
New York entered the game sitting at 4-1-0 and, two weeks into the season, had climbed to the top of the league. Shesterkin was a major reason why, giving the Rangers some of the best goaltending numbers through the opening stretch.
Then came the scare. Shesterkin slid across the crease, his right skate hit the post, and he dropped to the ice in pain before needing help getting off.
Dylan Garand is waiting in the wings as a promising backup, but if Shesterkin is out for a significant stretch, the Rangers may have to search for help in net. Joonas Korpisalo is also injured, which only adds to the concern.
A goalie move wouldn’t mean swinging for the fences at the level of Connor Hellebuyck, but a more realistic target like Sam Montembeault - or another available netminder - could come into play. And after bringing in players like Pavel Dorofeyev, Marcus Pettersson, and Sean Durzi, the Rangers have made it clear they’re not trying to back off.
Meanwhile, Darnell Nurse found himself in the spotlight for a different reason after his time with the Edmonton Oilers ended.
Nurse took questions from his locker stall before Saturday’s matchup against Edmonton, and when Mark Spector asked about playing for a team in California, Nurse fired back: “With my low IQ, I don’t know if I am able to answer your questions. Your questions are a little above my head. Next.”
That exchange had extra bite because of Spector’s earlier criticism. In June, while trade chatter surrounded Nurse’s future in Edmonton, Spector wrote, “At age 31, hockey sense will go down as Nurse’s great weakness - wherever he ends up.”
Nurse may miss some of the city, the team and the players, but after all those years of being under the microscope, the Edmonton media room may not be the part he misses.
And in Detroit, the Simon Edvinsson situation still hasn’t found a landing spot.
Edvinsson remains without the contract offer he wants, and he has made it known that a trade is now his preference. The Red Wings are still trying to work something out, but the lack of progress has opened the door to outside possibilities.
Corey Pronman of The Athletic pointed to Utah as a team that could make sense. He wrote, “…even if Caleb Desnoyers probably projects as a No. 2 center for Utah, that is the type of asset I can see being part of a reasonable Edvinsson swap, given that Detroit does not have a time pressure to make this deal because it’s expected they will not be competing in the near term.” (from ‘Weighing Red Wings’ options in Simon Edvinsson contract negotiations, trade market’, The Athletic, OCt. 9, 2026)
That kind of return would fit what Detroit is after, but it would also be a major price for Utah. Edvinsson is the kind of player who could help right away on the blue line, while Desnoyers, 19, has put together three strong seasons with the Moncton Wildcats and is now in the American Hockey League with the Tuscan Roadrunners.
Utah has plenty of high-end prospects, and Desnoyers could be one of the pieces it uses if the Mammoth decide to chase an impact player now.
In Other News...
Red Wings Standings Chase Just Got Tougher In The Atlantic
The Atlantic race is getting a little tighter for Detroit to navigate, with Ottawa set to add some important bodies back into its lineup after a stretch of injury absences. Defensemen Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub are expected back within the next few days, and forward Andr Burakovsky is also nearing a return from an upper-body injury, giving the Senators a chance to steady themselves at a time when every point matters in the division.
Detroit, meanwhile, made a pair of its own roster moves by activating forwards Chase Stillman and Carter Bear from the injured list and sending both to Grand Rapids. For the Red Wings, those transactions are more about keeping the pipeline moving than altering the NHL picture right away, but they underscore how quickly the standings chase can shift when rivals start getting healthier and depth pieces are being sorted out on both sides. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings May Already Have Another Goalie Worth Watching
Michal Postava is off to a strong start in Grand Rapids, and the early returns have already given the Red Wings organization something else to monitor in net. He stopped 36 shots in a 2-1 win over the Manitoba Moose, helping the Griffins keep rolling at home and improve to 2-0-1-0 on the season.
For a team always watching its goaltending pipeline, Postavas first two games have stood out even more because of how calm he has looked. The Griffins have won their last four home openers, and with Postava posting a 1.50 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage so far, there is at least a little more reason to pay attention every time he gets the crease. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Suddenly Get A Tougher Canadiens Matchup Tonight
The Canadiens are getting a significant boost on the blue line tonight, and it comes at a time when theyve already been trying to sharpen the edges of their roster. Kaiden Guhle is set to make his season debut after missing the first four games following offseason surgery on his adductor muscle, and Montreal plans to slot him next to Mike Matheson against the Red Wings.
To make room for Guhles return, Montreal recently moved Jayden Struble out of the picture in a trade with Nashville for a 2027 second-round pick. For Detroit, it means the matchup suddenly looks a little stiffer on a night when the Canadiens can roll out a more complete defense and lean on a player theyve been waiting to get back. [Read more 🡒]