What’s next for Rangers after Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox injuries
Let’s start here. The New York Rangers aren’t raising the white flag just because two of their biggest stars are injured and will miss important games during a crucial stretch of the season.
However, it’s fair to question if the Rangers are capable of remaining afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff race without Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox in the lineup for a considerable stretch.
Shesterkin is on IR with a lower-body injury sustained in the first period of New York’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth at Madison Square Garden on Monday. That means the 30-year-old goalie must miss at least one week of action.
It appears to be a good sign that the Rangers didn’t place Shesterkin on LTIR, because that designation would keep him out a minimum of 10 games and 24 days. Emily Kaplan of ESPN reported that Shesterkin avoided the “worst case scenario” with his injury.
Yet, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan offered no timeline nor any guarantee that Shesterkin wouldn’t be out longer term, when he met with reporters after practice Wednesday. He also didn’t speak to the severity of Shesterkin’s injury nor that of Fox, who landed on LTIR with a lower-body injury.
Sullivan did confirm that the 27-year-old defenseman was hurt late in the third period during the loss Monday.
The Rangers schedule features 13 games between now and the Olympic break in early February. After that three-week break, the Rangers play four games before the March 6 NHL trade deadline. So, there’s a lot riding on the games they play here in January, since the Rangers (20-18-6) own the second worst points percentage in the East, yet remain within striking distance of a playoff spot.
“We can’t really fill ‘Foxy’s’ shoes, we can really fill ‘Shesty’s’ shoes, so it’s going to have to be all of us coming together to boost the team, 20 guys as one, basically,” alternate captain Vincent Trocheck explained Wednesday.
Here’s what’s next for Rangers after latest brutal injury news
There’s no sidestepping that losing Shesterkin and Fox at the same time is a brutal blow for the Rangers. That’s a former Vezina Trophy winner as top NHL goalie, and prior Norris Trophy winner as best defenseman. Arguably, they are New York’s two most indispensable players.
Let’s examine how the Rangers go about filling the huge void created by their dual absence.
Rangers have ‘ultimate faith’ in veteran goalie Jonathan Quick
The Rangers are extremely fortunate to have a three-time Stanley Cup champion and winningest United-States-born goalie in NHL history (407 victories) ready to step in for Shesterkin. Not only is Jonathan Quick all that historically, but he’s had an outstanding season so far as Shesterkin’s understudy. Don’t be fooled by the 3-6-2 record, Quick has a 2.23 goals-against average and .919 save percentage — each fourth best among NHL goalies who started at least 10 games this season.
The possible rub here is that Quick turns 40 this month and must play significantly more often now than he has to this point. The Rangers spread out his workload considerably, which was easy to do with Shesterkin starting a League-high 34 games. The Rangers don’t have that luxury now, so they’ll cross their fingers and hope Quick and his body are up to it at this stage of his career.
“We have ultimate faith in ‘Quickie.’ He’s an elite goaltender, he’s a fierce competitor. His body of work in this league speaks for itself,” Sullivan said Wednesday. “Just look at what he’s done for our team this year. Every time he goes in, he gives us timely save after timely save. So, I’ve got a ton of confidence in his ability to help us.”
Backup to the backup
Spencer Martin – photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
Quick’s not going to start every game in Shesterkin’s absence, especially if Igor is out longer term. So, the Rangers recalled veteran goalie Spencer Martin from Hartford of the American Hockey League, going with the more experienced option rather than their top goalie prospect Dylan Garand.
Martin’s not a star, but the 31-year-old does have 66 games of NHL experience. That includes nine games last season, when he filled in for the Carolina Hurricanes in a similar situation when Frederik Andersen got hurt. By comparison, Garand is in his fourth pro season and yet to play in an NHL game.
The Rangers signed Martin in November after he left the KHL for this exact scenario. A veteran like Louis Domingue in previous seasons that can step in and make quality starts in an emergency.
“It’s a blessing. It’s just an opportunity. Third goalie on the depth chart, you don’t hope for anyone to get hurt at any position, but for me it’s exciting to get here and be a part of this,” Martin said after practice Wednesday.
Let’s try this again
Less than a week after he was activated from long term injured reserve, Fox is right back on LTIR. The Rangers were 6-5-3 when he missed 14 games due to an upper-body injury, and 1-1-1 with him back in the lineup for three games before this lower-body injury. It’s simply a terrible turn of events for both player and team.
At least the Rangers know the drill here. Braden Schneider moves up from the third defense pair to take Fox’s spot on the top pair with Vladislav Gavrikov. Rookie defenseman Scott Morrow likely gets the chance to slot in on the third pair after he was recalled from Hartford. Morrow also practiced on the second power-play unit Wednesday.
The Rangers really missed Fox on the top power-play unit during his first extended absence. They thrived when he returned, scoring five times in eight opportunities.
Sullivan deployed a five-forward group for most of those 14 games, and it simply didn’t work out. In the final game Fox missed, Gavrikov played the point, and scored the first power-play goal of his career. That’s the look the Rangers plan to go with Thursday, when they host the Buffalo Sabres.
“If they have success, we’d be more inclined to stay with it. If they don’t, we’re just going to feel through that process and go from there,” Sullivan said about the PP1 grouping with Gavrikov.
Reinforcements
Not all of the Rangers injury news this week is bad. J.T. Miller practiced in full Wednesday and is a game-time decision to play against the Sabres. The Rangers captain missed seven games with an upper-body injury. He slotted into the top power-play group at practice, and skated on a top-six line with Vincent Trocheck and Jonny Brodzinski, who filled in for the ill Alexis Lafreniere.
Also, rookie center Noah Laba practiced in a no-contact jersey. He’ll miss his third straight game Thursday with an upper-body injury, but his return is on the near horizon.
