playESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsOct 10, 2026, 12:58 PM ETNEW YORK — Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is out for the season after injuring his right knee Friday night in a game at Washington, the team announced Saturday.Shesterkin did not put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice by teammates after an awkward fall into his own net against the Capitals.Shesterkin, 30, came well out of his crease to challenge a shooter midway through the second period and fell as he scrambled back to the net. Shesterkin jammed his right skate into the right post as he slid back into the crease and collapsed into the net in pain.”It’s awful, you know? He’s a pillar of this team. It stinks,” Rangers captain J.T.
Miller said following the 3-1 loss to the Capitals.Coach Mike Sullivan said after his team’s four-game winning streak was snapped: “He’s an elite goaltender, and you never want to see anyone get hurt. Obviously, he’s an important player for us.”The 2022 Vezina Trophy winner missed a month last season with a lower-body injury, contributing to the Rangers finishing last in the Eastern Conference.Shesterkin was off to a strong start this season with a 3-1 record and 1.79 goals-against average. Last week, he became the first Rangers goalie to score a goal when he lofted the puck the length of the ice into an empty net late in New York’s home opener against Tampa Bay.”We’re not going to let that take the wind out of our sails,” Miller said about Shesterkin’s injury. “We love the way we’re playing most of the time.”Shesterkin stopped 13 of 14 shots Friday and left with the score tied 1-1.
He was replaced by backup Dylan Garand, 24, who gave up the go-ahead goal late in the second period but finished with 11 saves on 12 shots.It was the fifth career NHL appearance and second this season for Garand, recalled last week from Hartford of the American Hockey League after clearing waivers. Garand made 22 saves in a 2-0 shutout at Detroit last Friday with the Rangers playing their second game in two nights.Garand went 2-0-1 with a 1.62 GAA and .948 save percentage in three starts for the Rangers last season.New York acquired veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, 32, from the Boston Bruins last summer to be Shesterkin’s backup. But Korpisalo was placed on injured reserve last week and was week-to-week with a lower-body injury.The Rangers are expected to explore fill-in options given how thin they are at the position. Jonathan Quick, 40, is now the Rangers’ director of goaltender development.
He remains committed to his retirement decision after playing 25 games for New York last season, though he is loyal to the organization. So if the Rangers asked Quick to play this season, sources told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan they believe he could be a possibility.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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