The New York Rangers placed top goaltender Igor Shesterkin on injured reserve Tuesday, one day after he suffered a lower-body injury in the first period of a loss to Utah.

Shesterkin must miss at least seven days while on IR, and ESPN reported that the Rangers feel they avoided a “worst-case scenario” with his injury.

New York is also moving defenseman Adam Fox to long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury. On LTIR, Fox must miss 10 games and 24 calendar days.

Shesterkin, 30, was hurt during a collision with Mammoth forward JJ Peterka, but the contact appeared to be minimal and not the cause of the goalie’s injury. Peterka, darting toward a loose puck, made contact with Shesterkin’s glove and the former All-Star fell backward into the crease and stayed down for a few minutes.

When a trainer and a teammate helped him off the ice and into the dressing room, Shesterkin appeared unable to put weight on his left leg. Shesterkin stopped all nine shots he faced before his injury came 13 minutes into the game.

In 34 starts this season, he is 17-12-4 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average. The 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner for the NHL’s best goaltender is 179-100-26 in 308 career regular-season games with a 2.52 GAA and a .917 save percentage.

Jonathan Quick is New York’s primary backup for Shesterkin and finished Monday’s game in net.

Fox, 27, had just returned from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for 14 games. In 30 games this season, he has amassed four goals and 24 assists, including two goals on the power play.

Fox won the Norris Trophy in 2020-21 for the league’s top defenseman. He has 397 points (67 goals, 330 assists) in 461 career regular-season games.

–Field Level Media