The goaltender suffered the injury in a 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday. He appeared to injure his right leg at 8:20 of the second period when his skate got stuck in the goal post while climbing toward his net. Shesterkin’s leg bent awkwardly as he fell into the crease. The 30-year-old had to be helped off the ice by Rangers defensemen Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson and was unable to put weight on his right leg. “It’s hard to hear this news,” forward Mika Zibanejad said after practice Saturday. “He’s obviously a big part of our team and an unreal teammate. He means a lot to us, obviously, so (it sucks). He’s our friend. He’s our teammate and when that happens, you think about him. Obviously you feel bad that you have to go through that. Obviously it’s a tough situation for us, but especially for him.” Shesterkin had stopped 13 of 14 shots before leaving the game and was replaced by Dylan Garand, who made 11 saves. Shesterkin is 3-1-0 in five starts with a 1.79 goals against average and a .927 save percentage this season. He also scored his first NHL goal in a 5–1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 1, shooting the puck down the ice into an empty net at 17:26 of the third period with goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy pulled out for an extra attacker. “A guy that means a lot to our team,” defenseman Adam Fox said. “Obviously you’re still processing that and you still feel terrible. Personally, having dealt with injuries the last few years and he has too, (it sucks) when you can’t be there and help the team. He’s a very important piece for this team. It’s an opportunity for everyone else to step up.” Shesterkin is in his eighth season with New York after being selected by the Rangers in the fourth round with the 118th pick of the 2014 NHL Draft. He is in the second of an eight-year, $92 million contract signed on December 6, 2024. He has an average annual value of $11.5 million, making him the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history. “I couldn’t be more disappointed for ‘Shesty,'” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “I know how much it means to him to play, to be a part of the Rangers. He’s obviously one of the cornerstones of this organization. I’m disappointed for him because he’s a very fierce competitor. “Our message is: we keep fighting. It’s a next-man-up mentality.” Shesterkin, who won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender in 2021-22, missed 13 games last season after suffering a lower-body injury in the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 5. He went 25-19-6 with a 2.50 GAA, save percentage. .912 and one shutout in 51 games (all starts) last season The Rangers are already missing backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, who will be out four weeks with a lower-body injury, which means Garand will get his chance. Dylan is a great kid,” Rangers Sullivan said. “He’s another fierce competitor, loves hockey and has aspirations to play in the NHL. He’s a good goalie. Every time we put him in the net, certainly since I’ve been here, he’s made timely stops and given our team a chance to win. … We think he’s very capable.” Garand was recalled to Hartford of the American Hockey League on October 1 after clearing waivers and being waived on September 28. He made 22 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 2–0 win at the Detroit Red Wings on October 2. The 24-year-old is 3-1-1 with a 1.31 GAA, .954 save percentage and one shutout in five career NHL games. (four openings). “You never want to see guys get hurt, especially your best player, Igor,” Garand said. “He means a lot to the guys in this room and a lot to me personally. … I’m excited for the opportunity. I’m going to put my heart and soul on the line for these guys and this city every night and just try to help the team win.” Garand will get his first opportunity as New York’s starter when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; MSG, SNP). “It’s a dream come true to play in the NHL and I’m just trying to embrace that mentality and have a lot of gratitude for this opportunity,” he said. “I love being a part of this group and I love the guys. “I think it’s been a pretty crazy 11 days,” Garand said. “I think I have a little bit of resentment for what my past has been like and I’m really excited for this opportunity to fight for the guys. “Obviously it’s just one day at a time. I’m sure the coaches will figure something out, but for me, I’m a young guy, I still have some legs, so I’m ready for whatever is needed of me.” NHL.com senior writer Tom Gulitti contributed to this report.
