Igor Shesterkin Out for Remainder of NY Rangers Season

Goaltender Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers will be out for the remainder of the 2026-27 NHL season due to sustaining an injury to his right knee against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 9.

Shesterkin sustained the injury at 8:20 of the second period when his skate jammed into the goalpost while scrambling back into his net. The goalie's leg bent awkwardly under him as he fell in the crease, and he had to be helped off the ice by his teammates and a trainer; Shesterkin was unable to put any weight on his right leg. The Rangers would lose 3-1 to the Capitals at Capital One Arena, with the NHL announcing on Oct. 10 that Shesterkin is officially out for the rest of the year.

The 30-year-old netminder and former Vezina Trophy winner stopped 13 of 14 shots before leaving the game.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images — Oct 9, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) is helped off the ice after being injured against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rangers captain J.T. Miller said the New York franchise is going to have to step up in light of this latest challenge.

"It's awful. He's a pillar of this team. It stinks," Miller said per NHL.com. "Obviously, it's (early). We don't even know what's going on, but to see him leave the game is a shot to all of us, a shock to all of us. But at the same time, it means we got to step up to a man to try to get the job done, especially [Dylan Garand]."

Garand and Joonas Korpisalo are the other goalies listed on the Rangers roster. Spencer Martin, Gabriel Carriere and Callum Tung serve as the netminders for the Rangers AHL affiliate of the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Korpisalo will also be out four weeks with a lower-body injury — making Garand the next man up.

Garand was recalled from the Wolf Pack on Oct. 1 after clearing waivers. The 24-year-old netminder made 22 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 2-0 victory at the Detroit Red Wings on Oct.2; he has five career NHL games across four starts, as of presstime.

Igor Shesterkin Out for Season

Shesterkin was 3-1-0 in five starts with a 1.79 goals against average and .927 save percentage this season

He missed 13 games last season after sustaining a lower-body injury in the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth on Jan. 5.

Shesterkin recently became the first Rangers goalie to score a goal in the Blueshirts home opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden.

Rangers Head Coach Mike Sullivan did not shy away from stating the disappointment surrounding Shesterkin's injury.

"He's an elite goaltender and you never want to see anyone get hurt. Obviously, he's an important player for us," Sullivan had said per ESPN.

Garand went 2-0-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and .948 save percentage in three starts for the Rangers last season.

Korpisalo was acquired from the Boston Bruins last summer, slated to be Shesterkin's backup prior to him being placed on injured reserve and now deemed week-to-week.

The eventual loss to Washington snapped a four-game winning streak for the Rangers. The New York franchise (now 4-2-0) next hosts the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 11.

Puck drop is slated for 6:00 p.m. EST.

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