JUST WHAT RANGERS DON'T NEED ... SHESTERKIN ON IR

 Your last-place New York Rangers, losers of 15 of their last 19 games, put IGOR SHESTERKIN on IR Tuesday … with what was called an upper-body injury … apparently suffered during Monday’s 5-3 loss (what else?) some four minutes into the third period … when defenseman RYAN LINDGREN knocked the Panthers’ SAM BENNETT into the NY goaltender, driving Shesterkin into his own net … At the time the 29 year old Russian didn’t appear to be hurt. He finished the game … 

allowing the game-winning goal with 8:22 to go, thanks 

to another defensive breakdown by veteran D’ANDRE 

MILLER. (More on him in a moment.)

Since Dec. 6, when Shesterkin agreed to a new contract, 

eight years at an average of $11.5 million, making him  

NHL’s all-time, highest-paid at his position … the 

Rangers have gone 3-9-0 and take a four-game losing 

streak into Thursday (Jan. 2) night’s meeting with the 

Boston Bruins at rapidly-becoming-hostile Madison 

Square Garden … Shesterkin has started 10 of the last 

12 games …going 3-7 ... and was pulled in two of them 

in favor of seldom-used 38 year old JONATHAN 

QUICK … who now faces a heavy workload in the 

absence of Shesterkin who, overall, is 11-15-1, with a 

3.15 goals-against average and save percentage of .906 ... 

Veteran LOUIS DOMINGUE was recalled from AHL 

Hartford … where he was 4-9-1 (.888) and has been No. 

2 to No. 1 (and prospect) DYLAN BARAND … In parts 

of eight NHL seasons, Dominque is 60-60-10 (.906).

If you believe in conspiracy theories … the Rangers 

have more than their share. For now, though, we’ll 

concentrate on Miller, who makes $3.7 million a year 

… and simply gets worse and worse. You don’t think 

he’s trying to be moved, now do you? … In 30 games 

so far this season, the 6-5, 220 pound left-handed 

defenseman is minus 9 (and counting) in the tell-tale 

plus-minus statistic. He has six points including two 

goals … By way of contrast, ZAC JONES, who has 

appeared in 26 games, has contributed a goal and 

seven assists for eight points … I know, I know … 

despite NY coach PETER LAVIOLETTE’s love of 

offensive defenseman, keeping the puck out of your 

own net should always be your first priority … and 

Miller, despite his size, skating and puck-handling 

ability, is often – too often, it says here -- caught out of 

position … Monday night’s game offered the perfect 

example(s) when the defending Cup-champion 

Panthers snapped a tie at three, scoring the game-

winning goal with 11:38 remaining then putting it out 

of reach on an empty-netter in the final minute … and 

Miller was directly responsible for both of them.

First, he let JESPER BOGVIST skate right by him 

for a shot from right on that Shesterkin stopped but 

failed to control. Then with Miller and D-line mate

 WILL BORGEN, acquired recently from Seattle in a 

deal that sent KAAPO KAKKO to the Kracken, both 

out of position … Bogvist regained the puck and 

banged it in to a half-empty net. Shesterkin never had a 

chance … With time running out, and the Rangers 

playing with an extra skater, Miller, pressured by

 MATTHEW TKACHUK, threw a blind pass directly 

to Florida captain ALEKSANDR BARKOV … who 

put the finishing touch on a game that ended a four-

game losing streak. 

For reasons he hasn’t explained (because the NY 

media won’t ask him), Laviolette keeps Miller in the 

lineup … while Jones, clearly the team’s best all-

around defenseman, has been a healthy scratch for 10 

games including four of the last five … Also left-

handed, he can play (and has played) the right side. A 

tandem of Jones, 24, and Braden Schneider, 22, has 

been outstanding the few times they have played 

together … Schneider is plus 5, but Laviolette put 

Jones with rookie VICTOR MANSINI … and the 

native Richmonder (Glen Allen) promptly went from 

plus 7 to plus 2 before Mansini (minus 3) was sent 

back to Hartford.

OK, so the Rangers are a mess … while everyone 

waits for Laviolette to shoulder the blame and be fired 

… MIKA ZIBANEJAD, 31 (team high minus 22) has 

been linked to a swap with Toronto and is said willing 

to waive the no-trade clause in his $6.5 million 

contract … Who New York would get for him is 

anybody’s guess. What about a draft choice (or two) 

plus tough guy MAX DOMI, who can score a goal 

now and then, too? Just asking.

Until next time ...