Player Discussion Igor Shesterkin

[aufheben]

The Athletic put out a goalie ranking based on a panel of coaches and GMs.

Shesterkin finished 12th despite his lack of NHL games.

12. Igor Shesterkin, Rangers

2019-20 RECORD	SV %	GAA	SO
10-2-0	.932	2.52	0

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Average 2021 tier rating: 2.23
So, this one was interesting. Typically, when people are asked to project or evaluate a 25-year-old goalie who’s played 12 career NHL games, they want to see more before drawing conclusions. They are conservative in their assessment. But something about the way Shesterkin performed (.932 save percentage) in New York while replacing a Hall of Famer eliminated the normal reservations.

“He hasn’t been overhyped,” said a head coach. “Whenever I see him, I really, really like him. He’s pretty damn good.”

“He’s the real deal,” said another. “He came in under pressure. He’s the young guy everyone is talking about, getting his chance.”

“This kid walks down Broadway and says, ‘See you later Lundqvist,’” said a panelist. “And pushes the other guy out of the way. Do we know a lot about him in the world of goaltending? Not a lot. What I do know is that on the mental side of things, he’s done something very interesting. … I’m very intrigued about this guy’s mental game. He reminds me of the way (Vasilevskiy) came in and treated things when he came to Tampa. ‘Move over. I’m coming through.’ This guy, I don’t know if he’s exactly like that. His play will tell us that.”

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Saw that.

They had Kuemper, Andersen, Lehner, Bobrovsky, Gibson, Hart & Marsktrom above him, in that order. I believe he will be better than all of them after a few years.

 

[ElLeetch]

Saw that.

They had Kuemper, Andersen, Lehner, Bobrovsky, Gibson, Hart & Marsktrom above him, in that order. I believe he will be better than all of them after a few years.

Some good goalies there, but somehow, also not impressive.

Remember the days of Roy/Hasek/Brodeur/Beezer/Richter/Belfour? or even Lundqvist/Luongo/Price/Miller/Thomas?

Seems goalies these days are just so much more interchangeable. The gaps between elite and starter and backup is so, so small.

 

[Peltz]

What's with the soft goals lately? Is it a case of the d-men letting him get screened too much? It seems like he's not seeing some shots at all.

I'm obviously not talking about the one Lindgren pushed in which wasn't his fault.

But something about his game does visibly look different too, compared to last season. He's not moving laterally as fast. Nor is he exploding out of the crease to challenge shots as much. Glove hand still looks elite though.

 

[The New Russian Five]

What's with the soft goals lately? Is it a case of the d-men letting him get screened too much? It seems like he's not seeing some shots at all.

I'm obviously not talking about the one Lindgren pushed in which wasn't his fault.

But something about his game does visibly look different too, compared to last season. He's not moving laterally as fast. Nor is he exploding out of the crease to challenge shots as much. Glove hand still looks elite though.

It's almost as if he barely played the last 10 months and didn't really have a training camp/pre-season to get into a groove.

 

[tailgunner]

He has not been the same since the car accident

 

[bl02]

Still not worried about Igor. He's too good and will be fine. I mean look at Carter Hart he's had a non stellar start as well. Both these guys will be fine.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I think he’s getting sleepy back there due to the low number of shots. He was a monster last year facing 40 shots a game lol

 

[nyr2k2]

It's almost as if he barely played the last 10 months and didn't really have a training camp/pre-season to get into a groove.

The same can be said for a lot of guys, including some (like Blackwood, just as an example) who didn't even have the RTP. I'm sure Tretiak will be fine and all, but still, it's not a given that the long layoff will prevent a guy from getting off to a good start.

 

[will1066]

I think he’s getting sleepy back there due to the low number of shots. He was a monster last year facing 40 shots a game lol

He hasn't tracked the puck well in any of his games. He was bailed out a few times where the puck hit him or the cross bar and it was evident he didn't see it coming.

 

[The New Russian Five]

The same can be said for a lot of guys, including some (like Blackwood, just as an example) who didn't even have the RTP. I'm sure Tretiak will be fine and all, but still, it's not a given that the long layoff will prevent a guy from getting off to a good start.

The layoff affects each player differently. Some players need be getting reps on a consistent basis to stay on top of their game, others don't need it.

I am confident Shesty will figure it out. Honestly this seems like a confidence issue. I think once he gets a string of good games together we'll see old school Shesty.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I think he’s getting sleepy back there due to the low number of shots. He was a monster last year facing 40 shots a game lol

In all seriousness, I didn't mind the high volume for and against as much when we had two elite teams in 2013-14 and 2014-15. Those teams had the scoring power to open things up and trade chances with any team because they could reliably count on Hank to consistently and continuously make more saves than expected against high-danger scoring chances.

I think the low-event nature is better suited for a younger group, and it's almost similar to the Renney era where he got them to play a puck possession game (note that this is only over a small small sample size at the end of last year/beginning of this year) that eventually grew as they changed coaches.

I don't think this team is at a point yet where they can afford to be giving up that much volume against; maybe when the key vets start rounding into form, but not just yet.

 

[ViD]

He’s gotta get his old hairstyle and things will get back to normal

 

[BroadwayStorm]

One thing I noticed is he does a lot of kicksaving for low pucks that would be goals against most goaltenders but somehow he is really good at finding those. But he has struggled this season with anything shot at the upper part of the net which was oddly one of Henrik's only weaknesses but every shot put above this kids elbows this year has been going in, especially from short distance.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

Shersterkin is not tracking the puck well at all. He's also reacting really slowly. Didn't see the first game against Pittsburgh but was really shocked at how poorly he played on Sunday.

 

[CasusBelli]

Shersterkin is not tracking the puck well at all. He's also reacting really slowly. Didn't see the first game against Pittsburgh but was really shocked at how poorly he played on Sunday.

Exactly. He doesn’t look focused.

 

[ThirdEye]

Yeah, almost starting to wonder if his personal life is interfering with his professional life at this point. Don’t want to speculate, but lots of temptations for young, wealthy and impressionable athletes in NY. Could also be nursing a minor ailment of some sort or maybe getting over a non Covid related sickness. This is probably the roughest stretch of hockey in his career thus far

 

[yzerman]

This is preseason gaming from Shesty hopefull he gets his game back ,just look small in goal and last year he looked bigger than he is when he read the game like a computer and positioning was great.

 

[duhmetreE]

He's the #1. I would treat him as such.

You should be allowed to rebound from a bad game if you're the #1 IMO.

 

[haveandare]

Yeah, almost starting to wonder if his personal life is interfering with his professional life at this point. Don’t want to speculate, but lots of temptations for young, wealthy and impressionable athletes in NY. Could also be nursing a minor ailment of some sort or maybe getting over a non Covid related sickness. This is probably the roughest stretch of hockey in his career thus far

Eh, he was in a pretty big city in Russia and its NYC during covid. I doubt that’s it. I think it’s just an issue of him being a guy who needs the camp and preseason time he didn’t get.

 

[will1066]

Eh, he was in a pretty big city in Russia and its NYC during covid. I doubt that’s it. I think it’s just an issue of him being a guy who needs the camp and preseason time he didn’t get.

Or Lenscrafters.

 

[Raspewtin]

He has not been the same since the car accident

he played like 7 games since the car accident.

 

[Chytilmania]

He has not been the same since the car accident

Did the accident make Buch better?

 

[Cmox]

He's the #1. I would treat him as such.

You should be allowed to rebound from a bad game if you're the #1 IMO.

Yeah I think he should be playing tonight. Let Gorgie get the next game.

 

[Fitzy]

Did the accident make Buch better?

"In a freak car accident, the souls of two young Russian hockey players were mysteriously traded, turning a mercurial 2nd line winger into a star, and a top netminder into a middling backup"

Starring John Travolta and Nick Cage