The NHL has announced that Igor Shesterkin has been named as a finalist for the Hart Trophy.
Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid are the other finalists.
The Hart Trophy is awarded “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team” and is voted on by the PHWA.
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From the NHL: “Shesterkin, who earlier this week was named a finalist for the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy, compiled a 36-13-4 record, 2.07 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and six shutouts in 53 appearances to help the Rangers finish second in the Metropolitan Division with 110 points – their third-best season in franchise history behind only 2014-15 (113 points) and 1993-94 (112 points). Shesterkin, who led the NHL in both goals-against average and save percentage, posted the seventh-highest save percentage in League history (since the statistic began being officially tracked in 1955-56). He also ranked third in the NHL in shutouts and sixth in wins, yielding two or fewer goals in 33 of his 53 contests (62.3%) and making 30 or more saves 28 times (52.8%). Shesterkin, New York’s second Hart Trophy finalist in the past three seasons after Artemi Panarin finished third in voting in 2019-20, is looking to become the fifth Rangers player to win the award and first since Mark Messier in 1991-92. He also is seeking to become the second New York goaltender to capture the Hart Trophy, after Chuck Rayner in 1949-50, and just the third netminder on any team to do so this century, following Carey Price in 2014-15 and Jose Theodore in 2001-02 (both w/ MTL).”
From the Rangers:
- Shesterkin, 26, is the second Ranger in the past three seasons to be named a finalist for the Hart Trophy (Artemi Panarin – 2019-20) and fifth Rangers goaltender in team history to be named a finalist for the award. The most recent before Shesterkin was Henrik Lundqvist in 2011-12.
- Eight times has an NHL goaltender won the Hart Trophy, the last being Montreal’s Carey Price in 2014-15.
- Since the award was first presented in 1923-24, four Rangers have won it (Mark Messier – 1991-92, Andy Bathgate – 1958-59, Chuck Rayner – 1949-50, Buddy O’Connor – 1947-48) with Rayner being the only goaltender.
- The Moscow, Russia native posted historic numbers in 2021-22, becoming the third goaltender in NHL history (min. 50 appearance) to post a save percentage of .935 or higher in a single season. He joined Tim Thomas (2010-11 – .938) and Dominik Hasek (1998-99 – .937) in reaching the feat. Shesterkin went 36-13-4 and led the league with a 2.07 goals-against-average and .935 save percentage. It is the 39th time, since the league began tracking save percentage in 1955-56, that a goaltender has led the NHL in both save percentage and GAA.
- Below are all the goaltenders in Rangers history to be named a finalist for the Hart Trophy:
- 2021-22 – Igor Shesterkin
- 2011-12 – Henrik Lundqvist
- 1966-67 – Ed Giacomin
- 1955-56 – Gump Worsley
- 1949-50 – Chuck Rayner
Adam Rotter: I am surprised that he got into the top-3 to be a Finalist. He deserves it, but I thought that it would be weighed against him that goalies have their own award and he would instead finish around fifth. I don’t think he’s going to win it, I think that Auston Matthews and his 60 goals seem like the favorite, but it’s a very deserving honor and recognizes just how important he was to the Rangers this season and where they would be without him.