Igor Shesterkin out for season, Dylan Garand now 94th in rankings

Fantasy hockey: Shesterkin's knee injury ends his campaign and leaves Garand with the New York workload, but the seven-goal Devils game hurt his value.

By Fantasy Roundup Staff · October 16, 2026 · Updated October 16, 2026

Igor Shesterkin is out for the season with a knee injury, wiping away the 91% start share he held at a .908 save percentage and 2.69 goals-against average over the past 155 games in the model sample. Dylan Garand, who had 25% of the starts at a 1.62 goals-against average and .948 save percentage over a tiny three-game sample, now inherits the New York workload.

Shesterkin had a 76 process grade out of 100 in save quality, but he cannot play while on injured reserve. Garand landed 94th in ESPN's updated rankings after Shesterkin went down, yet the seven goals he and Spencer Martin allowed to New Jersey on Thursday raised questions about how much of that projection he will deliver. The Rangers have three games left this week, on Saturday, Monday and Thursday.

Fantasy impact

Player by player

Igor Shesterkin

Shesterkin is on injured reserve with a knee injury and cannot play. His three-game week goes to zero for as long as he remains out, and the season designation means he will not return to a fantasy lineup in 2026-27. He had been stopping pucks at a .908 clip with a 2.69 goals-against average, making 91% of the starts for New York.

His departure does nothing for managers who roster him until he is activated, which will not happen this year. The backup inherits his workload, and Shesterkin's 76 save-quality grade (goals saved above expected and high-danger saves among goalies) becomes irrelevant. Drop him immediately in all formats.

Dylan Garand

Garand enters the rankings at 94th following Shesterkin's injury, having posted a 1.62 goals-against average and .948 save percentage over a small three-game sample (25% of the starts). He now has the chance to seize the New York workload with three games left this week (Saturday, Monday, Thursday) and two next week, but the seven-goal Devils game damaged his short-term outlook.

The tiny sample makes his gaudy numbers volatile, and the New Jersey result shows how quickly the ratios can erode when he splits duties with Spencer Martin. Garand remains a hold for managers who added him after Shesterkin went down, but the 94th ranking reflects uncertainty about whether he can maintain starter-level ratios over a full campaign. Stream him only if you need a spot start and the matchup looks favorable.

What to do

• Drop Shesterkin in all formats, as he cannot return this season.

• Hold Garand if you rostered him after Shesterkin's injury, but temper expectations after the seven-goal Devils game.

• Stream Garand selectively for favorable matchups rather than counting on him as a weekly starter until his ratios stabilize.

• Monitor Joonas Korpisalo (out until mid-November) as a stash option if Garand's hold on the crease loosens further.

Schedule this week