Igor Shesterkin Injury Update
Igor Shesterkin is officially listed with a lower‑body injury after being helped off the ice in the first period of the Rangers’ game against the Utah Mammoth, and he did not return.
Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) noted on X that the team has announced Igor Shesterkin sustained a lower‑body injury and will not return to the game tonight.
The play looked harmless at first glance: JJ Peterka came crashing toward the crease, there was only minimal contact, and then suddenly Shesterkin was down, slamming his blocker on the ice in obvious frustration and pain.
Trainers came out, he tried to get up, but he could barely put weight on his left leg and had to be helped off by the medical staff and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, which always makes the arena go quiet in that weird, nervous way.
Before leaving, he had actually started the game well, turning away all nine shots he faced, which makes the whole thing feel even more gut‑punchy for the Rangers.
Jonathan Quick came in cold off the bench to take over, and while the game went to overtime and ended in a loss, the real storyline was the image of Shesterkin disappearing down the tunnel, not the final score.
For a team built around its star goalie, this kind of scene automatically shifts the conversation from “Did they win?” to “How bad is it?” pretty much instantly.
What Happened to Igor Shesterkin?
Shesterkin appeared to injure his left leg when it bent awkwardly as he tried to avoid contact near the crease, with almost no real collision from JJ Peterka.
His skate stuck in the ice as he slid, his leg twisted, and he went straight down in the net, staying there for a while as the trainer checked on him, the kind of replay goalies watch once and never want to see again.
Reports from the arena all describe the same worrying detail: he could not put meaningful weight on that left leg and needed help both off the ice and down the tunnel.
Hockey analyst Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) shared on X that Igor Shesterkin needed help getting off the ice after what looked like an innocent play.
On the scoresheet, it goes down as “lower‑body injury, will not return,” which is classic NHL vagueness, but everyone in the building could see it was serious enough that there was no chance of a quick tape‑job and back‑in‑the‑crease situation.
Moments like that always flip the emotional switch for a team; the Rangers had just signed him to an eight‑year, 92‑million‑dollar deal to be their franchise cornerstone in net, so any time he’s lying in the crease instead of guarding it, the temperature in the fanbase jumps about ten degrees.
When Will Igor Shesterkin Return?
Right now, the Rangers have only confirmed that Shesterkin has a lower‑body injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game, with no official multi‑week timetable yet.
That kind of wording usually means the medical staff wants imaging and a full evaluation before committing to a “week‑to‑week” or “day‑to‑day” label, which might be frustrating for fans but is pretty standard for high‑profile players.
In the short term, veteran Jonathan Quick is expected to carry the load, with young goalie depth like Dylan Garand available to step in as backup if Shesterkin misses more than just a game or two.
There is at least a bit of context that offers a tiny sliver of comfort: last season, when Shesterkin dealt with an upper‑body issue, the team initially called it a 1–2 week absence and he managed to work his way back after a brief reset.
Of course, leg injuries for goalies are a different beast entirely – so until the Rangers release something more concrete, the only honest answer is that his exact return date is uncertain, but the team will likely be cautious given his long‑term importance and that massive contract.
Igor Shesterkin Stats
Statistically, Igor Shesterkin has still been one of the core pillars of the Rangers’ identity, even coming off a relatively down year by his own elite standards.
In the 2024‑25 regular season, he played a heavy 61‑game workload and finished 27‑29‑5 with a 2.86 goals‑against average and a .905 save percentage, numbers that were labeled as career‑worst ratios for him but would still be perfectly respectable for a lot of NHL starters.
Earlier in the 2025‑26 campaign, before this latest injury, he had bounced back nicely, with reports noting an 8‑8‑1 record and around a .909 save percentage in 18 appearances, including stretches where he looked very much like his Vezina‑level self again.
For quick reference, here’s a loose snapshot of his recent form (regular season):
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2024‑25: 61 games, 27–29–5, 2.86 GAA, .905 SV%.
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2025‑26 (through late December): around 8–8–1, ~2.50 GAA, ~.909 SV% in 18 games.
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Career highlight: Vezina Trophy winner in 2022, now in the first year of that eight‑year, $92M deal that made him the highest‑paid goalie in league history.
That mix of heavy usage, proven peak performance, and the sheer financial commitment explains why this latest injury update feels like more than just a routine “day off” story for New York; it’s about the short‑term standings, sure, but it’s also about protecting the long‑term heartbeat of the team in net.
Disclaimer: The information is based on officially released team updates, in-game observations, and reports available at the time of writing. Injury timelines, diagnoses, and return dates can change as further medical evaluations are completed. For the most accurate and up-to-date status, always refer to official statements from the New York Rangers and the NHL.
