The New York Rangers welcomes Another Superstar on Wednesday, but it remains uncertain whether the 29-year-old goaltender will be ready to play against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
Shesterkin was sidelined just before the 4 Nations Face-Off break after suffering an upper-body injury in a 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 7. When the Rangers resumed practice on Tuesday, he skated individually, with coach Peter Laviolette listing him as day-to-day.
On Wednesday, Shesterkin participated in the first 30 minutes of practice before leaving the ice as part of a preplanned routine. In his absence, Dylan Garand—who was called up from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack—took over in net, while Jonathan Quick continued working at the other end.
Shesterkin was originally expected to miss 1-2 weeks, and Friday marks two weeks since the injury. The Rangers face a busy stretch coming out of the break, with back-to-back games this weekend—Saturday in Buffalo and Sunday in Pittsburgh—followed by a matchup against the Islanders on Tuesday, making it three games in four days.
In 39 appearances this season, Shesterkin holds an 18-19-2 record with a 2.87 goals-against average, a .906 save percentage, and three shutouts. While he has had dominant stretches, he has also struggled at times behind a defense that has been inconsistent, allowing four or more goals in 13 games this season.
Rangers coach decides to ‘avoid that question’ regarding key prospect Brennan Othmann
With four Rangers still competing in the 4 Nations Face-Off and two recently returning, several Hartford Wolf Pack players participated in Wednesday’s practice. Unlike goaltender Dylan Garand, who was officially recalled on Tuesday, none of them were formally called up.
Among those skating with the Rangers were forwards Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard, Jake Leschyshyn, and defenseman Matthew Robertson.
Berard, who played 19 games with the Rangers earlier this season, recorded seven points (three goals, four assists) in his first NHL stint. Othmann, a 2021 first-round pick, likely would have had NHL opportunities as well but missed over two months due to an upper-body injury suffered on Oct. 19, just three games into Hartford’s season.
Since returning on Dec. 27, Othmann has hit his stride, tallying nine goals in his last 11 games, including two multi-goal performances in his past three contests. His recent surge raises the question: Could the Rangers give him a look down the stretch?
Head coach Peter Laviolette sidestepped the speculation, saying it wouldn’t be fair to single out Othmann over the other Hartford players at practice.
“It’s good that he’s back, that he’s healthy, and that he’s contributing and scoring goals,” Laviolette said. “I think all those are good signs and good steps for him.”
As for potential call-ups, Laviolette kept things open-ended, stating, “At some point, there’s a chance we might need somebody, and we’ll take the player that’s playing well at that time.”
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