Igor Shesterkin, the goaltender for the New York Rangers, has been placed on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury, as confirmed by an anonymous source. This decision comes amid a troubling stretch for the Rangers, who are currently enduring a four-game losing streak and have lost seven of their last eight games. The team has fallen drastically in the standings, now sitting at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and only narrowly ahead of the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference.
Shesterkin, who recently signed a substantial $92 million contract extension lasting through the 2032-33 season, has had a challenging season thus far. With a record of 11 wins, 15 losses, and 1 overtime loss, he holds a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.10 and a save percentage of .906 over 27 games. This performance contrasts sharply with his previous season, where he earned the Vezina Trophy and posted a GAA of 2.58 and a .912 save percentage, leading the Rangers to the Presidents' Trophy and the Eastern Conference finals.
The timing of Shesterkin's injury is particularly concerning for the Rangers, as general manager Chris Drury has already made significant roster changes, including trading captain Jacob Trouba to Anaheim and winger Kaapo Kakko to Seattle in an effort to rejuvenate the team's performance.
