Igor Shesterkin has left Monday's game against the Utah Mammoth after suffering a lower-body injury which appears to be a non-contact leg injury.
Shesterkin fell down after JJ Peterka collided with him, but Shesterkin was favoring his other leg. which wasn't touched by the Utah Mammoth forward.
Shesterkin isn't putting any weight on his left leg and is getting helped off the ice to #NYR locker room. Jonathan Quick is coming into the game.
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) January 6, 2026
Bad scene here at MSG. https://t.co/nuIbEk2i94
Igor Shesterkin needed assistance off the ice following a collision with JJ Peterka pic.twitter.com/6OG2P0Jdk1
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 6, 2026
For the time being there is no telling how injured Shesterkin is, but an injury of any kind would be devastating for the Rangers. Per Evolving-Hockey, Shesterkin has been worth 23 GAR, and that makes him the most valuable goaltender in the NHL. On top of that, Shesterkin has a GSAA (goals saved above average) of 13.91, and a GSAx (goals saved above expected) of 22.63, and he ranks second and fourth in the respective categories.
Rangers have Jonathan Quick as a backup, but depth is thin beyond that
Quick turns 40 later on this month, and is 3-6-1 for the Rangers this season with a 2.11 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. He's also posted a 8.07 GSAA, and a 9.55 GSAx which is very respectable for a backup netminder. Quick has also been worth 7.7 GAR, and it suggests that he could be a 1A or starter on another team in the NHL.
The only issue is that Quick is a much older goaltender, and while he can help the Rangers in a pinch, he's not someone you want to have start 10 times in a single month. Shesterkin has been a reliable workhorse for the Rangers, and keeps his team in games and gives them a chance to win.
Spencer Martin would be next in line to rejoin the Rangers as a backup, and he's posted a 3.01 goals against average and a .903 save percentage with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. There's also Dylan Garand who has started 17 games for the Wolf Pack, and has a 2.67 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. He's yet to make his NHL debut, but if Shesterkin misses an extended amount of time, the Rangers might just have to see what their young netminder is capable of.
For now, fans have to hold their breath and wait, and hope that Shesterkin's injury just looked worse than it actually was. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.