Igor Shesterkin will be back representing the Rangers for the second year in a row when the All-Stars gather in Toronto this week, but in the midst of the worst season of his career and without many answers, will be caught up in the development.
Shesterkin allowed four goals on 19 shots in his last start before the hiatus, his save percentage dropped to .899, and his goals against average rose to 2.86.
Shesterkin played poorly in late November and early December, allowing at least four runs in five of his eight starts, but in the 10 games he played since January 2nd, he posted a save percentage (.863). is decreasing.
In some cases, pucks bounced into the Rangers’ net with strange deflections, ESPN NHL analyst and former Rangers goalie Kevin Weeks told the Post.
But Weeks added that there were times when Shesterkin allowed goals that the former Vezina Trophy winner wouldn’t normally allow.
“It’s difficult because he sets such a high level and such a high standard of excellence in the net that he doesn’t hit it well enough, or as consistently as he can, as consistently as he can. ‘And you’ve proven, of course, that’s number one, and that’s frustrating for him,’ Weeks said. “Beyond that, it’s a little confusing because technically he hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s technically great.”
At the peak of his tenure with the Rangers, Shesterkin excelled during the 2021-22 regular season, leading the Blueshirts to the brink of the Stanley Cup Final.
He led the league in save percentage. He was at the top of the rankings for average goals against. He posted six shutouts, something that has never happened to him this year.
Like the top 60 golfers on the PGA Tour or the top 60 players in tennis, Weeks said there’s a certain sense of accomplishment in the NHL goaltender slot.
They are the best at the position, and in that 53-game sample size two years ago, in just his second full season since transferring from the KHL, and in his first 82-game campaign, Shesterkin said, Who was the best of the planet? “
However, it is difficult to remain in first place forever. The ups and downs of the PGA Tour and tennis rankings are inevitable over time, even after reaching the top.
“There’s only one place to go from there, and that’s down,” Weeks said.
That doesn’t mean Shesterkin won’t rediscover the Vezina form. The effects are even greater when the stretch deviates from the norm, Weeks said.
Other than a five-game winning streak before the calendar turned to 2024, Shesterkin’s campaign was largely baffling.
However, it has not been criticized as much by other Rangers.
Jonathan Quick told the Post in December that Shesterkin had still passed the “eye test” and was not concerned.
“I don’t know what to say,” Shesterkin told reporters when asked to explain his performance, but head coach Peter Laviolette still called him an “elite goaltender.” It was.
On Friday, even after Shesterkin allowed three goals on the Golden Knights’ first nine shots, Laviolette didn’t pick a goaltender and instead looped the Blueshirts’ power play, forwards, defense — everyone. , the answer was, “We need to do something.” A little more. ”
There was evidence in Shesterkin’s resume. He has confounded most opponents thus far. There was reason to hope that he would change his worrying tendencies and do the same thing again.
Weeks said that beyond the long-term benefits, Quick’s presence could also act as a factor, having observed what other goaltenders go through as Quick’s teammates.
The 38-year-old has been the Rangers’ best goaltender this year, starting 16 games and posting 10 wins, a .915 save percentage and a 2.43 goals-against average.
The Blueshirts’ depth profile could add a different level of competition with the former Stanley Cup champion, who has the 11th best save percentage in the NHL this season.
“The dimensions of the net remain the same,” Weeks said. “His job and Igor’s responsibilities remain the same. But when you have a stud out there who has achieved so much, the calculation is a little different.”
Ultimately, Weeks said all goalies have to adjust. He noticed that even with the best players he played with, such as Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur, future Hall of Famers throughout his 11-year NHL career.
Weeks sees Shesterkin play differently in traffic. That’s because the lateral skills Shesterkin honed in the KHL don’t necessarily work when NHL forwards “play differently in front of you.”
Just because there’s a downstretch doesn’t mean Shesterkin’s dynamic production is diminished.
Weeks said think about the past few years when Apple’s stock was down. One failure does not determine your future. In some cases, further innovation may be required.
“It’s not like I look at it and think, ‘Oh, that’s ugly,'” Weeks said. “But I think it’s only a matter of time before he gets back to full fitness.”
