The sidelining of Igor Shesterkin for all of 2026-27 is a major blow for the goalie, the New York Rangers, their fans, and fantasy managers who rostered him as a top-10 netminder. Replacing him will not be easy, but affected managers still have options.
The Rangers are taking a homegrown route, promoting Dylan Garand to the No. 1 role under GM Chris Drury, with Spencer Martin coming over from AHL Hartford as backup. Garand stopped 19 of 21 shots in a 6-2 win over the Canucks and has been solid in relief and in a shutout of the Red Wings. However, he has played just six NHL games, and his 2.83 GAA and .896 SV% in the AHL last year were merely okay. Drury's plan will be worth watching if the Rangers remain competitive.
Before committing to the unproven 24-year-old, managers should first check on Florida's Jacob Markstrom or Toronto's Sergei Bobrovsky. Both remain available in about a third of ESPN Fantasy leagues. If neither is obtainable, Garand or another viable option may be worth the gamble.
Every Monday, ESPN mines the waiver wire for lesser-rostered performers who could help fantasy teams, along with streaming candidates for the week ahead. Stuart Skinner of the Winnipeg Jets, who is 3.8 FPPG and 59.2% available, has won two straight, including a 32-save, 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Pyotr Kochetkov of the Carolina Hurricanes, at 4.1 FPPG and 79.2% available, is 3-0 with a .912 SV%. Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils, at 1.9 FPPG and 75.8% available, has earned the bulk of starts over Nico Daws.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing