One at the MSG Training Center on Monday, one at the center of the past two seasons, the Rangers tried to explain what happened in the second to the first season that led to the firing of head coaches and associate coaches.
They tried to identify what to be responsible before spreading out for a summer without a playoff.
“In my opinion, something broke during the season.” [went] Another option said Rangers goalkeeper Igor Shesterkin. “We couldn’t handle it. It was our job to try and find a way back.”
Star Russia’s netminder, whose organization committed for $92 million for the next eight years, could not say exactly what broke.
Maybe they lost their luck, he said, or they weren’t playing as confidently as they were last season.
Shesterkin pointed out that even when the blues shirt fell three times late last season, they knew they could come back.
He said he didn’t feel that way this season.
With the sixth shutout of the season, he defeated lightning 4-0, and Shesterkin scored 21 in his career, tied with Lone Shabot, who ranked eighth on the franchise’s all-time list.
The 29-year-old finished with a 27-29-5 record with a career-high average of 2.89 and a career-low savings of .905.
“I’m looking at this team on paper, but it would be strange not to think about it. [this team should be in the playoffs]starting with goalkeepers in particular, defensive man Calvin De Hahn spoke about Shesterkin. “He’s probably the best player on the team. F-K, he’s good. I think we’ve made good goaltending angered. [this season]that’s not good.
“If that’s the most important position and it starts going to the roadside, that’s not good.”
