The New York Rangers announced devastating news earlier in the week following the injury to franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin – he's going to miss the remainder of the campaign due to the effects of the injury he suffered against the divisional rival Washington Capitals.
It puts the Rangers, who are already without backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo for the next month with an injury, and third-stringer Spencer Martin, in a considerable bind.
However, they've made a somewhat sneaky move that allows them to get some extra salary-cap flexibility from Shesterkin’s injury, but they’re intentionally not taking the maximum amount yet, according to NHL Insider Frank Seravalli.
“NYR note: Rangers put Igor Shesterkin on LTIR yesterday, but not the “season ending” LTIR list,” Seravalli wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “They can always move him there later – Dallas did this last year with Tyler Seguin when they needed more space. NYR get $3.97m in space now and full amount if on season ending, which also formally the closes door on a return.”
Meanwhile, the Rangers are currently turning to Dylan Garrand, who had been waived for the purposes of being sent to the AHL only weeks earlier.
Article Continues Below“I think Dylan has a quiet confidence,” said head coach Mike Sullivan via NHL.com. “He knows he's a very capable goalie and I think that confidence is important for a player coming into this circumstance. He believes in himself. I know he does. He also knows that we believe in him. We think he's a very capable guy. We felt that way a couple of weeks ago when we had to make very difficult decisions.”
The Rangers next face the Vancouver Canucks at home on Sunday evening.