Rangers Wasting Igor Shesterkin’s Hot Start

The New York Rangers are off to a less than ideal start under new head coach Mike Sullivan. We are all still awaiting the opening of the Rangers’ revival on Broadway, but through the first two weeks of their regular season schedule, the team looks like a repeat of last year’s disappointing result.

Despite the team’s poor start, the Rangers’ starting goalie is off to an incredible beginning. Igor Shesterkin is seemingly the only player in New York that was ready to turn the page and move forward under Sullivan, but his teammates are wasting his red-hot start as they try to figure out how to play in front of him.

Vezina Trophy-Worthy Start

Shesterkin’s play through the early goings of the season is unmatched across the NHL. He’s easily been the most impressive goaltender in his first six starts, but if you looked at just his or the team’s record, you wouldn’t believe it.

In six starts, Shesterkin has accumulated a 2-3-1 record. Not that impressive, right? But in those six games, he’s given up a total of seven goals. No team has put more than two pucks behind him to begin the year, despite the Rangers having a losing record. He’s allowed two goals twice, one goal three times, and shut out the Buffalo Sabres.

It’s led to an outstanding goals-against average (GAA) of 1.17, which ranks first in the league by a considerable margin so far. The next best right now is Washington Capitals goalie Logan Thompson, who currently has a 1.60 GAA.

He also has accumulated a save percentage that is equally as sterling. Shesterkin has a .957 save percentage. Stopping nearly 96% of all shots on goal against him, he’s nearly 20 points better than the goaltender with the next best save percentage, Jakub Dobes of the Montreal Canadiens (.939 save percentage).