Igor Shesterkin heading to IR in major Rangers injury blow

In a season already full of catastrophe, the greatest possible misfortune has befallen the Rangers at arguably the worst time.

Igor Shesterkin was placed on injured reserve Tuesday night with an upper-body injury, according to a source.

The designation ensures the Blueshirts will be without their star goaltender for at least the next three games.

With Shesterkin unavailable, Louis Domingue was recalled from AHL Hartford.

The expectation is that Jonathan Quick will get a majority of the starts, with Domingue perhaps getting the nod in one of the Rangers’ upcoming back-to-back games in Washington and Chicago.

It’s been just three and a half weeks since Shesterkin signed an eight-year, $92 million extension with the Rangers and became the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history.

Since the ink dried, however, the Rangers have continued to spiral. They’ve gone 3-9, as well as traded their captain, Jacob Trouba, and second-overall pick in 2019, Kaapo Kakko.

The Rangers have also fallen into last place in the Metropolitan Division in the process.

Shesterkin has posted a 3-6 record in the nine games he’s played since the contract, which will pay him $11.5 million per year. But he’s been pulled twice to make it three times on the season.

The rest of his statistics have naturally been affected by the rest of the team’s collapse, but so has his play. As the losses have piled up, Shesterkin has started to let in goals he usually saves more often.

He’s had a 3.22 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage since Dec. 6.