Prospect Info: 2014 NHL Draft / Pick #118 - Igor Shestyorkin (G) - Part III

[FireGerardGallant]

And that's why we should trade Georgiev for a nice return.

FTFY

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I hate to pile on Lundqvist right now because I feel for the guy, but his inability to play the puck never improved. When Biron was here I thought his puck play would improve through some practice with him and Benoit but he just never got better in that department.

There was one season years ago where I charted his inefficiencies in this area and it was leading to an average of close to 3 scoring chances per game and 2.5 additional minutes in the defensive zone. Any long time fan will attest to this. He literally gave the puck away to the other team and put his defenseman in bad spots countless times during games. Still does. It probably would've been better if he didn't leave his crease his entire career.

If Lundqvist could have played the puck like Brodeur or Shesty, who knows how far that would have taken him.

It's funny how Sam has gotten so used to watching Lundqvist that he is literally shocked when Shesty plays the puck with effectiveness and is shooting for a goal. "Shesterkin wants to score!!!"

It's a big big big plus for a goalie to have that type skill. I won't compare the two out of respect (yet), but ask Marty. They literally changed the rules because of him and his team adapted a system around it.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

He seems to have a very acute ability to move his body forward or into a more aggressive position to trap the puck. But he understands how aggressive that move needs to be so he isn't over compensating. I'm sure we don't even notice half of it.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, you seldom see him flailing or wasting movement, if at all. He's got these cyborg like precision movements that are balanced and calculated but ahead of the shooter which makes his style seem very minimal but its actually incredibly complex.

 

[Levitate]

I think people forget how good Lundqvist was and how he played when he was younger. His reflexes and positioning and rebound control were all amazing and completely elite. He was basically top of the league in basically everything except stick handling (as people have mentioned) and glove hand (which he improved but was never as big of a skill for him as the rest of his game).
At his best he was amazing at always being in position, never wasting motion, and controlling or putting rebounds into the corners. He was not an active and athletic goalie who was always diving all over the place (though he could do it when needed). Ultimately it's really only these past few years that he has started to "swim" more in net as his reflexes have declined and he has seemed to spend more time "chasing" the play rather than being in control and in position.

Shesterkin has a lot of those same qualities though he plays a more aggressive game out of his net which honestly I like. Being a bit smaller in the realm of goalies these days I think it probably does him better to play his angles well

 

[CaptTennille]

Does this look the face of a man who knows mercy?

 

[Crease]

I think people forget how good Lundqvist was and how he played when he was younger. His reflexes and positioning and rebound control were all amazing and completely elite. He was basically top of the league in basically everything except stick handling (as people have mentioned) and glove hand (which he improved but was never as big of a skill for him as the rest of his game).
At his best he was amazing at always being in position, never wasting motion, and controlling or putting rebounds into the corners. He was not an active and athletic goalie who was always diving all over the place (though he could do it when needed). Ultimately it's really only these past few years that he has started to "swim" more in net as his reflexes have declined and he has seemed to spend more time "chasing" the play rather than being in control and in position.

Shesterkin has a lot of those same qualities though he plays a more aggressive game out of his net which honestly I like. Being a bit smaller in the realm of goalies these days I think it probably does him better to play his angles well

Agree regarding Lundqvist. There was about ten-year stretch with Lundqvist where you just nonchalantly expected a save on every shot unless it was a one-on-one opportunity against the other team's best player. I didn't start holding my breath on scoring chances until around 2017 when he was already 34.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

He seems to have a very acute ability to move his body forward or into a more aggressive position to trap the puck. But he understands how aggressive that move needs to be so he isn't over compensating. I'm sure we don't even notice half of it.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, you seldom see him flailing or wasting movement, if at all. He's got these cyborg like precision movements that are balanced and calculated but ahead of the shooter which makes his style seem very minimal but its actually incredibly complex.

This sounds Carey Price at his peak, no?

 

[SnowblindNYR]

What so far in a very small sample size I've appreciated about Igor that Hank didn't always have is that he's not giving up softies. That said he obviously will. It's easy not to give up softies in 7 games, but every goalie does.

 

[Levitate]

This sounds Carey Price at his peak, no?

Price is a lot bigger and used that to his advantage but yes he was excellent positionally while still having the athleticism to make any wild saves he needed to

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Price is a lot bigger and used that to his advantage but yes he was excellent positionally while still having the athleticism to make any wild saves he needed to

Not to make this about him, but I wonder what happened to Price. He was really good for only like 3 seasons, one of which was injury shortened.

 

[BKGooner]

What happened to Price? Kreider sent him a get well soon card with a very heartfelt message in calligraphy on the inside and a message reading you won't get up next time on the back in letters cut from various North American newspapers.
95% plus of the position is mental when you get to the elite level.

 

[broadwayblue]

Agree regarding Lundqvist. There was about ten-year stretch with Lundqvist where you just nonchalantly expected a save on every shot unless it was a one-on-one opportunity against the other team's best player. I didn't start holding my breath on scoring chances until around 2017 when he was already 34.

Yup, for a time it seemed like he was practically unbeatable. If he could see the puck you expected him to make the save. To complain about his puck handling skills was ridiculous. Sure, they were not good. But he was so much better than just about any other goalie at actually stopping the puck.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

What so far in a very small sample size I've appreciated about Igor that Hank didn't always have is that he's not giving up softies. That said he obviously will. It's easy not to give up softies in 7 games, but every goalie does.

Hank at his peak never gave up softies. It always took a perfect shot. He didn’t start letting them in until the last few seasons and it’s still pretty rare. There’s a guy on the Devils Hf who reviews every goal allowed every night and whether they were soft or not. Check those out if you want some perspective of what mortal goalies give up constantly. I will not stand for this Hank slander.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Hank at his peak never gave up softies. It always took a perfect shot. He didn’t start letting them in until the last few seasons and it’s still pretty rare. There’s a guy on the Devils Hf who reviews every goal allowed every night and whether they were soft or not. Check those out if you want some perspective of what mortal goalies give up constantly. I will not stand for this Hank slander.

a) Unless you're nevisis, every goalie gives up softies.

b) He would every season have a month or two where he would give up at least a softie a game, even at his best. Even in 11-12.

 

[Levitate]

actually Price isn't as big as I thought he was, but still taller than Shesterkin and used his size effectively

 

[SA16]

Hank at his peak never gave up softies. It always took a perfect shot. He didn’t start letting them in until the last few seasons and it’s still pretty rare. There’s a guy on the Devils Hf who reviews every goal allowed every night and whether they were soft or not. Check those out if you want some perspective of what mortal goalies give up constantly. I will not stand for this Hank slander.

I distinctly remember him allowing a goal on an unscreened wrist shot to Brandon Bollig.

 

[JimmyG89]

I distinctly remember him allowing a goal on an unscreened wrist shot to Brandon Bollig.

Cmon, that shot was a LASER

 

[aufheben]

Already 8.01 GSAA lol

Rk	Player	Age	GP	GS	W	L	T/O	GA	SA	SV	SV%	GAA	SO	MIN	QS	QS%	RBS	GA%-	GSAA	GAA	GPS
1	Alexandar Georgiev	23	25	23	12	11	1	70	765	695	.908	3.12	2	1348	13	.565	5	101	-0.44	3.29	4.3
2	Henrik Lundqvist	37	28	25	10	11	3	79	852	773	.907	3.12	1	1522	13	.520	3	102	-1.53	3.31	4.6
3	Igor Shesterkin	24	7	7	6	1	0	15	253	238	.941	2.18	0	413	5	.714	0	65	8.01	2.33	2.3

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[bl02]

Not to make this about him, but I wonder what happened to Price. He was really good for only like 3 seasons, one of which was injury shortened.

Injuries haven't helped and he just can't carry the load by himself anymore. He needs a competent backup to help him out once in a while. I think he's better than most on here give him credit for but no doubt things are not gonna get better between his injuries and his team wearing him down to a nub due to the fact they have pressure to win every game/their backup sucks.

 

[EdJovanovski]

If anyone was thinking he’s just saying Lundqvist was his idol after the fact he was drafted by the Rangers:

It was destiny

 

[RGY]

Igor’s lateral movement is elite. You couple that with his athleticism and his reads and youve got the makings of a great goaltender. He is quick with his glove, but also still so young so you cannot compare him to Lundqvist now (not that anyone is) because Igor will slow down when he is older. He challenges shooters, doesn’t sit back in his net, something that I think Henrik fell victim to at times and it hurt him on certain shot angles.

Hopefully he keeps it up

 

[NYR7]

The good news (and frankly shocking that it was outright stated) is Quinn says Shesterkin is the number one starter. The bad news is, he was supposed to play tonight, but is now day-to-day with an ankle injury.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

If anyone was thinking he’s just saying Lundqvist was his idol after the fact he was drafted by the Rangers:

It was destiny

Close, but literally translated after the loss to the Kings was "he's still the best". And still not in the sense of "he was the best yesterday and he's the best today". Still in the sense of "regardless of what happened".

 

[Joey Bones]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost...icially-declared-rangers-no-1-goaltender/amp/

A start to a new era!! This news is kind of massive given Hank is still on the team (despite obviously showing his age).

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Eh, nice click bait article by Brett. Quinn actually never said "Igor is our #1 goalie" He just said he's been the best of the group and he wants to ride him.