The New York Rangers are placing Igor Shesterkin on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, a league source said Tuesday, adding more misery to the team’s nosedive to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings over the last five weeks.
Shesterkin, who signed an eight-year extension worth $ 11.5 million per season on Dec. 8, finished the 5-3 loss to the Panthers in Florida on Monday after being barreled over by Panthers forward Sam Bennett in the third period. Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren knocked Bennett into Shesterkin, who was slow to get up but stayed in the game.
Shesterkin’s numbers aren’t good this season, with a .906 save percentage and a 3.10 goals-against average. But he still ranks third in the league with 14.11 goals saved above expectation, according to Clear Sight Hockey, and the Rangers, who have lost 15 of their last 19 games, will be in even more trouble without their franchise goalie.
(Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig / Imagn Images)
