NHL injury crisis deepens as another superstar goes down this early in the season

The 2026-27 NHL season is barely two weeks old, and the league is already grappling with an alarming number of high-profile injuries, with one of the most gut-wrenching scenes unfolding on Friday night in New York.

Rangers franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin went down hard during a game against the Washington Capitals and could not get back to his feet on his own. Shesterkin appeared to crash into the post while scrambling back into his crease on a play involving Pierre-Luc Dubois. A trainer immediately rushed to the ice. Walker reported that Shesterkin slammed his glove on the ice multiple times, a clear display of pain and frustration. He was eventually helped off slowly, reportedly unable to put any weight on his right leg, and hobbled down the tunnel with the assistance of training staff.

The incident sent a chill through the hockey world, not just because of what it could mean for the Rangers, but because of the broader context surrounding it. Shesterkin's name now joins a staggering list of star players who have already been sidelined in the opening weeks of the campaign.

Aleksander Barkov. Brad Marchand. Macklin Celebrini. Josh Morrissey. Ivan Demidov. Brock Faber. Jake Sanderson. William Eklund. Matt Duchene. Connor Bedard, who was already dealing with an offseason injury. The sheer volume of notable names is difficult to match in recent memory.

For teams like the Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators and Rangers specifically, the stakes could not be higher. Shesterkin has been electric to start the season and is widely regarded as one of the most important goaltenders in the entire league. Any extended absence would represent a devastating blow to New York's aspirations.

Reports from earlier today confirm that Marchand would miss approximately six weeks after sustaining a knee injury during Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. The veteran is expected to resume skating in three weeks, then work his way back into game shape. Captain Aleksander Barkov was already ruled out for six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury of his own.

This is a tough start to the season... I mean, the league is grappling with a troubling early-season injury trend that shows no signs of slowing down.