TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — Less than an hour after the New York Rangers announced Igor Shesterkin is done for the season with a lower-body injury, the team took the ice for Saturday’s practice.
Occupying Shesterkin’s usual spot in the net at the south side of the MSG Training Center was Dylan Garand, a 24-year-old rookie who went from being placed on waivers less than two weeks earlier to being counted on as the Rangers’ starting goalie for the foreseeable future.
Things can change fast in the NHL, and Garand is living proof.
“You never want to see guys get injured, especially your best player in Igor,” Garand said after practice. “He means a lot to the guys in this room, and a lot to me personally. So yeah, it sucks. At the same time, it’s just next man up, and that’s kind of my approach here. I’m excited for the opportunity. I’m gonna put my heart and soul on the line for these guys and this city every night.”
Around the NHL: Shesterkin exits with injury, Malkin’s late score forces OT
Joonas Korpisalo started the season as the Rangers’ No. 2 goalie, but he’s also hurt. The team announced Saturday that he’ll miss the next four weeks. Sullivan said he anticipated Garand working as the primary starter at least until Korpisalo returns.
Life comes at you fast. Dylan Garand is on the starter’s side of the rink, occupying the net that usually belongs to Igor Shesterkin. #NYR pic.twitter.com/retmfcu2f5
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) October 10, 2026
Teammates have spoken highly about Garand since he’s been up, but that doesn’t change how difficult the Shesterkin news is in the dressing room.
“It’s obviously horrible to hear,” defenseman Adam Fox said. “He means so much to our team. We’re still kind of processing that, and you just feel terrible for him.”
“It’s our friend,” center Mika Zibanejad added. “It’s our teammate, and when that happens, you think about them. You obviously feel bad that they have to go through it. It’s just a tough situation — obviously for us, but mostly for him.”
Shesterkin went down midway through the second period Friday against the Washington Capitals when his right leg jammed against the post. Asked directly if the goalie suffered an ACL injury, Sullivan didn’t comment. The team is classifying it only as a lower-body injury.
No one is waving the white flag with 78 games still to play. Management is determined to give this group a chance, conveying belief that the roster’s improved depth was intended, in part, to help them withstand injuries.
The coming weeks will test that, but there’s no sugarcoating the difficult task ahead. Shesterkin was the player the Rangers could least afford to lose, and now they have to deal with that reality.
“You should allow yourself to feel those feelings to a certain extent, and then move forward,” Zibanejad said. “I think that’s the process when something like that happens. You have different stages, obviously, but you try not to let it affect you too much.”
“I’m not worried about this group from that standpoint,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’re not looking for excuses. We like what’s going on around here, and we’re going to continue to work at becoming the best team that we can become. There are certain things that you can’t control, and it’s an unfortunate injury. We’ve got very capable guys. We feel like we’ve built a pretty good team game to this point. We’re going to continue to try to develop that overall game, and we get excited about the opportunity that’s in front of us.”
Sullivan doesn’t believe the team will have to change its identity with Shesterkin out.
“Part of the identity we’re trying to create is being hard to play against, and as an extension of that, being hard to play against is being stingy defensively,” he said. “So, I think if anything, it adds a heightened level of importance on trying to limit the quality and the quantity of scoring chances against, and creating offense off our defense.”
Spencer Martin, who played six games for the Rangers last season, has been cleared from a recent lower-body injury and is expected to be recalled from AHL Hartford, according to a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss pending transactions. He’s in line to serve as the No. 2 to Garand.
Zibanejad believes Garand has “found another level from last year.” He said the team will rally around the 24-year-old, who had his first career shutout Oct. 2 against the Red Wings.
“You’re always gonna speak highly of your teammates, but I genuinely think he’s been unbelievable since he came up,” Fox said. “It hasn’t probably been the easiest start to the year. Going back down, coming back up, and his first game is a back-to-back in Detroit. … He works extremely hard. We’re all trying to do the best we can to help him succeed.”
Asked how ready he feels for his opportunity, Garand didn’t hesitate.
“I think I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder for how my past has been,” he said. “I’m really excited for this opportunity to go battle for the guys. I feel ready, for sure.”
