The New York Rangers’ most important player went down Monday night.
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin was forced to leave the game after suffering what head coach Mike Sullivan described as a “lower-body injury” during New York’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth at Madison Square Garden.
Igor Shesterkin has been among the top candidates for the Vezina Trophy this season and has once again carried the Rangers for long stretches. He entered the night with a .912 save percentage and a 2.47 goals-against average, ranking among the league leaders in workload and impact. Shesterkin leads the NHL in games played and minutes and sits atop the league in goals saved above average at 5-on-5. He also ranks second in total GSAA, trailing only Minnesota’s Jacob Wallstedt, according to Natural Stat Trick.
The loss marked New York’s fourth defeat in its last five games. The Rangers are tied with the New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, and Buffalo Sabres for 10th place in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. They are also tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the most games played in the NHL at 44, a reality that adds pressure as the season progresses.
Igor Shesterkin Sustained A Lower-Body Injury
Shesterkin was injured midway through the first period after appearing to catch his knee in a rough patch of ice following a save on Utah forward Dylan Guenther at the 7:06 mark.
The goaltender remained down on the ice, repeatedly striking the surface with his blocker in visible discomfort. Initially, it appeared that Utah forward JJ Peterka may have collided with Shesterkin, prompting several Rangers to confront Peterka. Replays showed that there was no contact between Peterka and the Rangers’ netminder.
“We don’t want him to get hurt. He’s an important part of this team,” Sullivan said. “And hopefully it’s not too serious. I don’t have an answer for you, because, obviously, they’re going to do more tests. But right now, he’s being evaluated.”
The Rangers Can Ill Afford To Lose Igor Shesterkin
Shesterkin’s importance to the franchise is well established. He finished third in Hart Trophy voting in 2022, the same season he dominated the Vezina Trophy race and helped push the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final, where they fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Two years later, he placed fourth in Vezina voting while backstopping New York to another run to the league’s final four before losing to the Florida Panthers. Even during last season’s struggles, Shesterkin led the NHL in total saves and remained one of the team’s few consistent positives.
Few teams lean on their goaltender more heavily than the Rangers, and Shesterkin has once again been the backbone keeping them competitive at the midway point of the season.
That reliance was reflected in the reaction from his teammates.
“It’s not good to see anyone go down, but obviously him and what he’s done for us and how much he means for us,” forward Mika Zibanejad said. “That’s not a good sight.”
“You never want to see a guy go down, especially when it’s your goaltender, who is world class,” center Vincent Trocheck said.
The Rangers rank 27th in the NHL in goals scored, making Shesterkin’s absence even more concerning. While veteran Jonathan Quick has posted a strong .919 save percentage in 11 games, it is difficult to envision the 39-year-old replicating Shesterkin’s nightly workload and impact.
“There are certain guys that drive your team and [Shesterkin’s] one of them for us,’’ Sullivan said. “He’s an elite player at his position. I think he’s one of the very best in the game. Those types of players are difficult to replace.’’