Category: Igor Shesterkin

Igor Shesterkin has been selected to participate in the All-Star game as the Rangers first representative.

From the Rangers:

• In earning his first All-Star Game selection, Shesterkin becomes the seventh goaltender in franchise history (Chuck Rayner, Gump Worsley, Ed Giacomin, Gilles Villemure, Mike Richter, Henrik Lundqvist) to be selected to participate in the All-Star Game. He is the 17th goaltender in NHL history to win a Vezina Trophy prior to being selected/playing in an All-Star Game.
• This season, Shesterkin has accumulated 18-6-5 record with a 2.43 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. He is 8-2-2 in his last 12 games. Shesterkin has compiled an NHL-high 1754:10 of time on ice. In the NHL, Shesterkin ranks tied for third in wins, seventh in goals-against average and in save percentage (min. 20 GP). Among Metropolitan Division goaltenders, he ranks first in wins.

Igor Shesterkin met with the media following his Vezina Trophy win last night and said (NYR):

• How was it accepting the award, “I was so nervous and I forgot a couple of words, but after that I just said for myself relax and have a little bit of fun tonight.”
• Did you hear when they played the music, “yea, when I spoke about my parents (laugh). It was funny, but didn’t help me.”
• Did you think you had a chance to win the Hart Trophy, “You never know, but for Auston Matthews, it’s well deserved and he was unbelievable this season. Well deserved.”
• Have you been watching the Stanley Cup Final, “Yea, I watched every game right now….I have time for that (laugh). They play so good and we’ll see next season, but it’s so good to watch how Vasilevskiy play and Darcy Kuemper. It’s very good goalies, very good.”
• What have you thought about Vasilevskiy, “He’s very good and he can win three Stanley Cups in a row, it’s unbelievable.”
• What does it mean to win the Vezina Trophy, “It means a lot for me. I didn’t think about it when I came to the NHL, but sometimes you think maybe I have a chance. In my first preseason game against the Islanders I didn’t play and one guy, one small child showed me a picture of myself and he said ‘for future Vezina Trophy winner, give me a stick for that.’ I think, why not? We have a good team for that and everybody helped me so much for that. It’s a team win.”
• Who was your favorite goalie growing up, “Henrik Lundqvist. No debate.”
• Why Lundqvist, “I don’t know. I like how he played and when I was growing up I asked my dad to buy me TPS pads and blocker and glove and he told me no (laugh) we don’t have money for that. I said ‘okay,’ next time I will buy for myself. He was a very good goalie and was so fun to watch how he played and this incredible arena.”
• Is it tough to watch the Final knowing how close you were, “yea, it’s so difficult because we had a very good team and deserved to play in the Final, too….. It was a really good experience for us and we will get back stronger next season.”
• Do you have any predictions for the Final, “we’ll see. I don’t want to tell it.”
• On Chris Drury’s job with the Rangers, “He is outstanding, I’m so happy with him. I want to thank him for getting the biggest second contract for goalies (laugh). He did a really great job this season and it’s why we play in the Conference Final, he did really good trades and thank him so much.”

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.