One edge that the New York Rangers had coming into the season was in net, where they had a genuine superstar in Igor Shesterkin.

The highest-ranked netminder in the NHL, Shesterkin is an elite performer in net. Unfortunately, the Rangers aren’t going to benefit from what he provides because he suffered what was deemed a season-ending lower-body injury on Oct. 9 against the Washington Capitals.

This is the second consecutive season that Shesterkin has battled an injury, which has set New York back when it comes to their expectations. Without him in net, the team’s performance has been rocky, with Dylan Garand doing everything he can to help keep them afloat.

Despite the lack of availability over the last two seasons, Shesterkin is still trending toward being a Hall of Fame player, according to Dan Rosen of NHL.com. He compiled a list of players who have logged fewer than 500 games but have shown enough to be regarded among the best of the best to ever play.

Igor Shesterkin on Hall of Fame trajectory

Shesterkin came in at No. 4 on the list of nine, and rightfully so. While he won’t be adding to his impressive resume this season, if he can return to the ice healthy next season, he can continue his ascent on the list of best goalies in franchise history.

Right now, that title belongs to Henrik Lundqvist. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2023, Shesterkin has some plateaus and milestones he can aim for to get his career up to that level.

Lundqvist is the all-time leader in wins with 459. Shesterkin has a long way to go to reach that number, with 190 in his career right now. He hasn’t played on as many strong teams, but his impact cannot be overstated.

His performance in 2025-26, the second straight season the Rangers missed the playoffs, speaks volumes. Shesterkin went 25-19-6 in a campaign in which New York finished in last place in the Eastern Conference with only 77 points.

In the postseason, Shesterkin has a record above the .500 mark thus far at 23-20, with a save percentage of .928 and a goals-against average of 2.41. Lundqvist went 61-67 with a .931 save percentage and a 2.30 goals-against average. The Hall of Famer was in net for three consecutive runs to the Eastern Conference Finals from 2013 through 2015, with a Stanley Cup appearance in 2014.

The injury certainly hurts, but Shesterkin is on a Hall of Fame trajectory right now. He has to prove he can stay healthy to continue trending in the right direction; otherwise, the clock will start ticking on him having enough opportunities to stockpile production and accolades.