The Rangers’ goaltending picture took a brutal turn on Friday, and the latest update makes it official: Igor Shesterkin is done for the season.
New York confirmed that the injury Shesterkin suffered in the game against the Washington Capitals is severe enough to end his year. He had been off to a blistering start, and the timing could hardly be worse for a team trying to hold things together early.
Shesterkin leaves behind a line that jumped off the page in just five starts: a 1.79 GAA, a .927 save percentage, three wins in four Rangers games, plus his first career goal and an assist. The Rangers opened 4-2, and he was a huge reason why.
The injury news doesn’t stop there. Joe Veleno is expected to miss about three months with a lower-body injury and is headed to LTIR. Joonas Korpisalo remains sidelined for another month with a lower-body injury of his own.
That leaves Dylan Garand as the next man up for now, with Spencer Martin cleared to return after being day-to-day. Martin is expected to come in as Garand’s backup for the foreseeable future.
New York also shuffled its roster to help maximize LTIR space. Cole Beaudoin was sent down so he can play with the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday night, then rejoin the Rangers for Sunday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. Juuso Pärssinen was recalled in the meantime, and he won’t practice with the club on Friday.
For Garand, this is the kind of opportunity that can change a season. The 24-year-old has already made two appearances for the Rangers this year and has allowed just one goal. He came in cold after Shesterkin’s injury against Washington, then followed that up with his first career shutout in a win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Through those two games, Garand has a 1-1 record, 33 saves, and a .971 save percentage. If the Rangers are going to stay in the playoff mix, they’ll need him to keep that level going while Shesterkin recovers.
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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 🡒]
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Rangers Goalie Surge Suddenly Feels More Real Than Expected
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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 🡒]