The Rangers’ early-season momentum just took a brutal hit, and it starts with Igor Shesterkin.
His injury is being called lower-body, but the real concern is how much worse this could be than the vague initial label suggests. For now, there’s no clear timeline. And as usual, the hockey world is offering very little in the way of specifics unless the situation turns out to be severe enough that the recovery stretches beyond the season.
That uncertainty is what makes this so painful for New York. Shesterkin was not just part of the Rangers’ strong start - he was a major reason for it.
He had been playing outstanding hockey, giving the club a huge boost as it opened the year with real life and purpose. But this wasn’t a case of one goalie carrying an otherwise flimsy roster on his back.
The Rangers have actually been better as a team overall, which matters even if it doesn’t soften the blow of losing their best player.
And losing your best player hurts, no matter where he lines up. The idea that this is some kind of proof that teams shouldn’t pay for goaltending doesn’t hold up.
Last season, the Florida Panthers lost Aleksander Barkov for the entire year and paid for it by missing the playoffs. Jack Hughes has been regularly injured for the New Jersey Devils, and they’ve felt that too.
If Connor McDavid were to blow out his knee and miss a season, it would be devastating for the Edmonton Oilers.
So yes, this is bad. Very bad.
At least the Rangers have one piece of timing working in their favor: Dylan Garand cleared waivers.
In Other News...
Rangers Suddenly Face A Brutal Igor Shesterkin Question
Igor Shesterkins night against the Capitals ended abruptly when the Rangers No. 1 goaltender had to leave with a lower-body injury and did not return, a scary development for a team that has leaned heavily on him. Dylan Garand stepped in and handled the workload after Shesterkin exited, giving New York at least a steady stopgap while the bench waited for word on the starters condition.
The concern goes beyond one game because the Rangers are already dealing with injuries in goal, which has thinned out their options at a position that rarely allows for much margin. New York is still waiting for a fuller update on Shesterkin, and with another game looming, the teams depth chart could be pushed into uncomfortable territory if he is not available. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Affiliate Is Building Early Momentum Behind An Intriguing Goalie Start
The Hartford Wolf Pack kept their early-season roll going with a 2-0 win over the Providence Bruins, giving the Rangers AHL affiliate three straight victories to open the year. Glenn Gawdin supplied one of the goals, and the result continued a start that has put Hartford in a good place before the calendar really settles into the grind of the season.
Callum Tung was at the center of it, turning aside 28 shots to give Hartford the kind of steady goaltending every affiliate hopes to find early. The Wolf Pack now head toward their home opener against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on October 10, with the early question being whether this start is the beginning of something more substantial. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Goalie Surge Suddenly Feels More Real Than Expected
The Hartford Wolf Packs fast start kept rolling with a 2-0 win over the Providence Bruins, another encouraging sign for a Rangers organization watching its goaltending depth closely. The Wolf Pack opened the 2026-27 season at 3-0-0-0, and the latest result came with the kind of steady, low-event hockey that can make an early run feel more legitimate than decorative.
Callum Tung was the biggest reason it held together, turning aside all 28 shots he faced for his first AHL shutout. In a development system, those are the kinds of nights that matter because they hint at more than a clean sheet in October, especially when the results keep stacking up and the crease picture in the organization starts to look a little more interesting. [Read more 🡒]