WASHINGTON — The Rangers face a significant challenge if Igor Shesterkin’s right leg injury, which he suffered during the second period of Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Capitals, keeps him out for an extended period.
They would be losing more than just the best goaltender in the NHL, who had a thrilling start this season. Without Shesterkin, it would be like removing a crucial part from a car engine—everything would struggle to function properly.
He is definitely the key player on this team.
The potential loss feels especially heavy given how much the Rangers seemed to click as a team in their previous four games.
“It’s awful,” remarked captain J.T. Miller. “He’s a pillar of this team.”
The injury happened during a Capitals power play when Shesterkin moved far out of his crease to challenge an open Pierre-Luc Dubois. Dubois lost the puck while trying to maneuver around him, but in the effort to get back to his net, Shesterkin hit his right leg hard against the post, which caused it to bend awkwardly and led him to fall onto his back.
In visible pain, the 30-year-old slammed his glove on the ice as a trainer rushed out. He needed assistance to leave the ice without putting any weight on his injured leg.
“It’s concerning,” said head coach Mike Sullivan. “He’s a big part of this team, without a doubt. I’ve mentioned so many times that he is one of the best goalies in the world, if not the best. He’s that good.”
Shesterkin had started in three of the four games and showed impressive performance, making 88 saves on 95 shots for a .926 save percentage. He even notched a historic goal as a goalie and contributed an assist, showcasing a skill set that he’s been utilizing more frequently this season.
Shesterkin’s contributions sparked belief in the team’s potential as the season began.
Now, however, the outlook for the 2026-27 season seems uncertain.
The Rangers already have another goalie on injured reserve: Joonas Korpisalo, who hasn’t played yet this season due to a lower-body issue. Initially expected to back up Shesterkin, Korpisalo is currently week-to-week and hasn’t resumed skating.
This situation has led to rookie Dylan Garand being called back to New York just days after being one of the last cuts in training camp. Garand managed to stop 11 of the 12 shots he faced during Friday’s game. With only five games of NHL experience, the 24-year-old Garand is now thrust into a starting role after beginning the season as the third-string goalie.
If Shesterkin needs to be sidelined for a while, the Rangers may need to look elsewhere, as Spencer Martin is also unavailable due to a lower-body injury and labeled day to day.
Callum Tung, at just 22 years old and with only 20 AHL games under his belt, could end up as the Rangers’ backup goalie for Sunday’s game at Madison Square Garden.
“We’re not going to let [Igor’s injury] take the wind out of our sails,” Miller stated. “We still competed our best today.”
The Rangers managed to hold their ground despite the tough break with their star goalie.
With the game tied 1-1 and Garand now in goal, the team faced considerable pressure from Washington. However, they held strong until rookie Cole Beaudoin turned over the puck in the Rangers zone, allowing Boone Jenner to score.
This was a challenging outing for Beaudoin, making his NHL debut just days after being recalled due to Joe Veleno’s designation to IR. Along with his two turnovers, he sometimes appeared overwhelmed while defending.
“Seeing arguably your best player go down is a tough loss for our team,” Sullivan commented. “I thought we fought hard. We battled. Our third period was likely our best. The intentions were good; we just need to control the play better.”
