Rangers star goalie provides potential return date from injury to 4-Nations Face-Off break. New York has also assigned defenseman Zachary Jones to the minors on a conditioning loan. Matthew Robertson has been recalled in his place.

The New York Rangers will return from the 4-Nations Face-Off break with positive news. Starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin has indicated that he expects to be fully healthy before Saturday’s matchup against Buffalo, according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic. The team backed up his statement by reassigning temporary backup goaltender Dylan Garand. Additionally, the Rangers have sent defenseman Zachary Jones to the minors on a conditioning loan, while recalling Matthew Robertson in his place.

Shesterkin is set to return from an upper-body injury sustained during New York’s February 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite playing through the entire game, he was subsequently ruled out for one to two weeks before the Rangers’ February 8 game against Columbus—their final contest before the break. Prior to his injury, Shesterkin struggled, posting a 1-4 record with an .835 save percentage over his last five games. However, that slump followed an impressive January, where the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner recorded a 6-0-1 record and a .948 save percentage in his first seven games of the month, helping keep the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. With New York still three points outside of a playoff spot, the pressure is on Shesterkin to regain his form.

Garand served as the backup in Shesterkin’s absence. The 22-year-old has been one of the AHL’s top young goaltenders this season, ranking second in save percentage (.914) and third in wins (13) among U23 netminders with at least 20 games played. It marks a significant step forward for Garand, who took over an AHL starting role two seasons ago but has yet to post a full-season save percentage above .900.

Jones will also return to the AHL to regain his conditioning. He was out of the lineup for 18 games between December and January, only appearing in two February games since the holiday break. Jones has served as New York’s seventh defenseman this season, contributing eight points, 10 penalty minutes, and a plus-two rating in 28 games. With his temporary departure, the Rangers will turn to Robertson, who has tallied 18 points and 47 penalty minutes in 47 AHL games this season. Should he crack the Rangers’ lineup, he will make his NHL debut.