Rangers Replace Injured Shesterkin With Rookie Garand Against Capitals

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin was helped off the ice during the second period against the Washington Capitals on Friday, October 9, 2026, after an apparent right leg injury during a scramble near the net in Washington. The incident forced rookie Dylan Garand into action as New York faced a Washington power play.

According to TheScore, Shesterkin appeared to jam his right leg against the goalpost while sliding back into his crease. His teammates helped him to the bench before he left the ice, and video shared by SNY showed him appearing unable to put weight on the affected leg.

The Rangers had not provided an official medical update in the initial reports from Markerzone. The precise nature and severity of the injury remained unclear.

Shesterkin entered the matchup with a 3-1-0 record, a .926 save percentage and a 1.76 goals-against average, according to ClutchPoints. He had also recorded one goal and one assist in four appearances, making his departure a significant development for a team that had relied heavily on his early-season performances.

New York turned to Garand, who began the season as the backup after Joonas Korpisalo sustained an injury. TheScore reported that Garand had recorded a 22-save shutout in his only previous appearance of the season.

Garand's shutout came against the Detroit Red Wings on October 2, according to ClutchPoints. Markerzone reported that Korpisalo was expected to remain unavailable until at least October 19, leaving Garand as the only healthy option behind Shesterkin at the time of the incident.

The injury interrupted a strong opening stretch for the Rangers. Markerzone reported that New York entered the game with a 4-1-0 record, first in the league, and a four-game winning streak. The team had allowed an average of 1.6 goals per game.

Shesterkin's importance to the lineup is reflected in his contract, which carries an annual salary-cap hit of approximately $11.5 million. TheScore identified him as the NHL's highest-paid goaltender by cap hit, while ClutchPoints noted that he was the league's only goalie earning more than $10 million annually.

The 30-year-old has also established a strong record over his NHL career. According to TheScore, he has a .917 career save percentage and has finished among the top 10 in Vezina Trophy voting in four of his eight NHL seasons. He won the award in 2022.

Washington had entered the game with a 2-1-0 record following a 5-3 victory over Pittsburgh on Wednesday, according to Markerzone. Capitals forwards Tom Wilson and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had four points heading into the matchup, while the Rangers faced a two-man disadvantage after play was set to resume.

New York's next scheduled games were at home against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, October 11, followed by a matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, October 13, according to Markerzone.