The New York Rangers were bracing for the worst when Igor Shesterkin’s right skate crashed into the goal post Friday night.
On Saturday, the Rangers found out Shesterkin’s season was over, and his absence threatens to derail a promising start for a team coming off missing the playoffs for the past two seasons.
Dylan Garand will step in as the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner’s replacement for the time being, and the Rangers hope his promise in limited action translates to success in regular work starting Sunday night when they host the Vancouver Canucks.
Shesterkin, 30, was injured when his right skate collided with the goal post while sliding into position to make a save with 11:40 remaining in the second period of Friday’s 3-1 loss at Washington, which halted a four-game winning streak.
Shesterkin’s season is over after he was 3-1-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average. The Rangers are now counting on Garand, who is 3-1-1 with a 1.31 GAA in five career games.
“You never want to see guys get injured, especially your best player in Igor,” Garand, 24, told reporters at practice Saturday. “He means a lot to the guys in this room and a lot to me personally. … I’m excited for the opportunity. 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 began this season third on New York’s depth chart and was exposed to waivers before getting claimed. He is being elevated because Joonas Korpisalo is out for at least four more weeks due to a lower-body injury. Garand’s backup will be journeyman Spencer Martin, who made six appearances last season when Shesterkin was injured in January and went 1-3-0 with a 4.13 GAA.
“A guy (Shesterkin) that means so much to our team,” defenseman Adam Fox told reporters at practice Saturday. “Obviously, still processing that and you still feel terrible. Personally having dealt with injuries the past few years and him, too, it (stinks) when you’re not able to be out there and help the team. He’s such an important piece to this team. It’s an opportunity for everyone else to step up.”
The Rangers are hoping Garand can help them open a season 4-0 at home for the first time since 2009-10 after outscoring Tampa Bay, Utah and the Islanders 14-5.
Vancouver has allowed a league-leading 29 goals through its first six games, including 14 in a three-game skid against the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils. The Canucks have permitted 98 shots on goal in their past three games, and have allowed three power-play goals apiece in the past two games.
“From a work ethic standpoint, it just needs to be much more difficult for teams to recover pucks and get to their sets,” first-year coach Manny Malhotra said of Vancouver’s penalty-killing woes.
Last season, the Canucks had the NHL’s worst penalty-kill percentage at 71.5%.
“That’s a couple games in a row where our penalty kill has to bear down and get those kills,” Vancouver forward Brock Boeser said after taking a pair of penalties against the Devils. “We got to stay out of the box, myself included.”
