Igor Shesterkin had to be carried off the ice without putting any weight on his right leg, and the early medical read has the Rangers bracing for weeks, possibly months.
The injury happened in Friday's 3-1 loss in Washington. Mike Sullivan offered no update afterward.
One doctor who breaks down NHL injury clips pointed to a worrying detail: the post did not come off. That raised his concern about an ankle fracture.
A fracture typically means four to 12 weeks or more, he noted. That would cost New York a big chunk of the early season.
There is a better scenario. If there was rotation he couldn't see on the video, it could be an ankle sprain, which often means four to six weeks depending on severity.
He also explained why goalie injuries are so tricky to read: all that gear hides a lot of what actually happens to the leg.
Dylan Garand and Chris Drury face the Rangers' goaltending test
Either way, Dylan Garand is the starter for now. He sits at a .971 save percentage with a shutout already this season.
The depth behind him is thin. Joonas Korpisalo is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, expected out until at least Oct. 19.
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Shesterkin, 30, carries an $11,567,857 cap hit and a .927 save percentage this season. Replacing that for even a month is a tall order.
If it's a fracture, Chris Drury has to add a veteran goalie right away. Riding a young starter with no proven backup for three months is a risk a 4-2-0 team shouldn't take.
Losing your star goalie this long is like a band losing its lead singer before a world tour. A replacement can carry the songs, but they won't sound the same.
J.T. Miller summed up the room's mood: "It's awful. He's a pillar of this team." The Rangers host Vancouver on Sunday.
The difference between a sprain and a fracture could be two months. Until the team confirms which one it is, New York will be holding its breath.
Should the Rangers trade for a veteran goalie if Igor Shesterkin is out long term?
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