Rangers lose star goaltender Igor Shesterkin for season with lower-body injury; what's next for New York?
Shesterkin was big reason why the Rangers were off to a hot start
• 2 min read
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin will miss the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury, the team announced on Saturday.
Shesterkin suffered an apparent leg injury in the Rangers' loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday night as his right leg slid awkwardly into the post while scrambling to get back in position. Shesterkin fell to the ice immediately, and he needed assistance to get down the tunnel.
Prior to that loss, the Rangers were off to a terrific 4-1-0 start, and Shesterkin was a driving force behind that success. In just five appearances, Shesterkin posted 3.90 goals saved above average with a .900 high-danger save percentage, according to Natural Stat Trick.
The 2022 Vezina Trophy winner, Shesterkin has put up sparkling numbers since he entered the NHL in 2019-20. In 330 games, Shesterkin boasts a .917 save percentage, a 2.51 GAA and 22 shutouts. Over the last three full seasons from 2023-26, Shesterkin ranked third in goals saved above average with 45.4. Only Connor Hellebuyck and Andrei Vasilevskiy were better in that category.
Shesterkin was a big reason why the Rangers felt they could bounce back from a disappointing 2025-26 season, and losing the star goaltender puts a huge dent in the team's playoff hopes. It doesn't help that backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo is also hurt.
Dylan Garand replaced Shesterkin on Friday night, and Spencer Martin will be recalled from the AHL after recovering from his own injury. With the Rangers playing well early, it wouldn't be a shock to see them explore better replacement options for Shesterkin.
Where do the Rangers turn in goal?
New York won't be able to replace Shesterkin's impact because he's one of the five best goalies in the world. However, the team should be able to upgrade its current goaltending situation, which is a fairly low bar to clear.
First, there are unsigned veterans still on the open market in Petr Mrazek and James Reimer. Neither one was great last season -- hence their availability at the moment -- Reimer and Mrazek could provide a level of stability in the crease that the Rangers simply don't have right now.
New York could also explore trade possibilities, and Minnesota Wild netminder Filip Gustavsson could be a solution there. Jesper Wallstedt is the future of the crease in Minnesota, making Gustavsson more of a luxury. Would the Wild send Gustavsson to New York in exchange for some draft capital it could use to acquire a center?
The one snag in a potential Gustavsson deal is his contract. Gustavsson is in the first year of a deal that pays him $6.8 million over the next five seasons. That's a big commitment for a player who will become a backup when Shesterkin returns.
Obviously, Connor Hellebuyck has been on the trade market for months now, but that trade wouldn't make sense for the Rangers. Hellebuyck is on an expensive long-term deal, and New York would have $20 million tied up in goalies if they made that move, not to mention the astronomical acquisition cost.
However, if you'll allow me to get creative here, it's no secret that the Florida Panthers have pursed Hellebuyck. What if the Panthers traded Jacob Markstrom -- just acquired in the offseason -- to the Rangers in order to make room for Hellebuyck?
Markstrom does have a 20-team no-trade list, so the question is whether New York would be one of his 11 approved teams. Florida flipping Markstrom so quickly seems like a long shot, but the team has taken plenty of big swings in recent history.
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