New York Rangers Lose Starting Goaltender Igor Shesterkin for the Season After Post Collision
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is sidelined for the remainder of the season after jamming his right leg into the goalpost during a Friday night game, Yahoo Sports reported. The injury delivered a major blow to a Rangers squad that opened the campaign strong, sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference with eight points heading into the weekend.
Yahoo Sports noted that replacing an elite goaltender like Shesterkin on fantasy rosters requires giving up a top-tier player or high draft pick. Fantasy managers are pivoting to waiver wire options or evaluating backup depth, with attention turning toward Dylan Garand in New York.
Extensive Injury List Mounts Across the League in Early Weeks
The opening two weeks of the hockey season brought a heavy wave of injuries to key players across multiple rosters. Yahoo Sports categorized the early-season absences into several groups, noting that shortened pre-season camps may have contributed to the physical toll.
- Injured this season: Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim Ducks, left Saturday’s game); Marco Kasper (Detroit Red Wings, played one game); Zach Hyman (Edmonton Oilers, played one game); Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers, 6-8 weeks); Brad Marchand (Florida Panthers, 6 weeks); Mats Zuccarello (Los Angeles Kings, placed on IR); Brock Faber (Minnesota Wild, indefinitely); Ivan Demidov (Montreal Canadiens, 2-4 weeks); Sam Montembeault (Montreal Canadiens, placed on IR); William Eklund (Ottawa Senators, placed on IR); Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators, played one game); Jacob Melanson (Seattle Kraken, indefinitely); Victor Olofsson (Vegas Golden Knights, week-to-week).
- Yet to play this season: Troy Terry (Anaheim Ducks); Jonathan Huberdeau (Calgary Flames); Seth Jarvis (Carolina Hurricanes); Matt Duchene (Dallas Stars); Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks); Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Matt Savoie (Edmonton Oilers); Frederik Andersen (Edmonton Oilers); Kevin Fiala (Los Angeles Kings); Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota Wild); Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders); Joonas Korpisalo (New York Rangers); Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia Flyers); Ryan Graves (Pittsburgh Penguins); Tyler Tucker (St. Louis Blues); Yanni Gourde (Tampa Bay Lightning); Dakota Joshua (Toronto Maple Leafs); Filip Chytil and Thatcher Demko (Vancouver Canucks).
- Out for the season or most of the year: Alexander Romanov (New York Islanders, torn ACL); Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers, lower body); Max Domi (Toronto Maple Leafs, failed physical); Elvis Merzlikins (Toronto Maple Leafs, shoulder); Rasmus Sandin (Washington Capitals, torn ACL).
Week 3 Schedule Brings Cramped Matchups and Back-to-Backs
The Week 3 schedule features nine games on off-days alongside a full slate where all 32 teams take the ice on Tuesday. Six teams—Ottawa, Vegas, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Buffalo—play four games this week while opening with a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday, according to Yahoo Sports. Eight additional teams face back-to-backs later in the week.
The schedule also highlights key home-and-home series, including a Dallas-Colorado matchup on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by Edmonton and Utah meeting on Thursday and Saturday. For fantasy managers tracking games played, Yahoo Sports identified the Minnesota Wild as a prime streaming option because they play on both Monday and Sunday.
Fantasy Hockey Additions and Roster Strategy for Week 3
Yahoo Sports outlined several roster targets for fantasy managers navigating the early schedule, dividing recommendations into season-long adds, mid-term holds, and short-term streamers.
- Dylan Strome (C, Washington Capitals): Rostered in 51 percent of leagues, Strome recorded four assists in four games but saw limited ice time alongside Alex Ovechkin.
- Alex Laferriere (C/LW/RW, Los Angeles Kings): Rostered in 46 percent of leagues, he produced three points, seven shots, and 15 hits across three games.
- Will Cuylle (LW/RW, New York Rangers): Rostered in 43 percent of leagues, Cuylle paces toward another 300-hit season while seeking his first goal on 15 shots.
- Pyotr Kochetkov (G, Carolina Hurricanes): Rostered in 32 percent of leagues, Kochetkov moves into favorable matchups against Vancouver and Philadelphia in a potential goaltender rotation.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Goalie Market and Injury Replacements
Which teams play four games during Week 3 of the NHL schedule?
Ottawa, Vegas, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Buffalo all play four games during Week 3, each opening with a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday.
How long is Aleksander Barkov expected to remain sidelined?
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss six to eight weeks of action due to his early-season injury.
Worth a look