Igor Shesterkin’s high standard with Rangers been ‘compromised’ this season, Dave Maloney believes
Dave Maloney acknowledges that the New York Rangers are fighting for a playoff spot this late in the season for many reasons. But chief among them is that Igor Shesterkin’s failed to live up to his standard as one of the top goalies in the world.
“There’s no question that the standard that he has set in his career has been somewhat compromised this season,” Maloney said on the Rink Rap podcast.
The former Rangers captain and longtime radio analyst pointed to a lack of consistency in Shesterkin’s game this season, taking away from his elite moments..
“We will set the parameters that he is in the top 3 goaltenders in the League still. But the standard that he set has been compromised this season,” Maloney explained. “There’s no question, you don’t get to the playoffs without quality goaltending. Does he need to be Igor in the last [27] games, yes, he does. Has he been consistently? No he hasn’t been.”
Shesterkin is on the way to posting the worst numbers in his five full NHL seasons. The 29-year-old is 18-19-2 with a 2.87 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and three shutouts this season. He’s allowed four goals or more in one-third of his starts, 13 of 39.
The standard for Shesterkin is his 2021-22 season when he won the Vezina Trophy as the top NHL goalie. He had a 2.02 GAA that season and ridiculous .935 save percentage. His numbers have creeped back up ever since, but that’s the elite standard he’s judged against. And one of the reasons why he landed the richest contract for a goalie in NHL history earlier this season, eight years, $92 million.
Shesterkin was brilliant last spring, leading the Rangers to within two victories of reaching the Stanley Cup Final. He did so despite the Rangers team defense being exposed as the postseason extended, particularly against the heavy Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.
That poor defensive play was at the heart of the Rangers caving in front of Shesterkin and backup Jonathan Quick during a 4-15-0 stretch earlier this season.
“There’s no question that the Rangers in front of him have not held up their end of the bargain … of playing a better defensive game,” Maloney said. “But that hasn’t been a strength during this recent time, they haven’t been a good defensive team.”
So, in other words, as bad as the Rangers played in front of their goalies, blame needs to be shared by Shesterkin.
Things are better now for the Rangers (26-24-4), who are 11th in the East and three points out of the second wild card. But Shesterkin’s struggled lately, 1-4-0 in his past five starts, allowing 17 goals in the four defeats. He sustained an upper-body injury before the start of the 4 Nations break and is expected to need 1-2 weeks to recover.
“The numbers haven’t been great. But he’s built a pedigree that you have to believe that coming down the stretch he’ll be closer to who he’s been than what he’s been this season,” Maloney offered.”
Related: Grading Rangers goalies, defensemen at start of 4 Nations break
Former Rangers captain lauds Jonathan Quick’s humility: ‘totally impressive’
Speaking of Quick, Maloney has nothing but the utmost respect for the 39-year-old, who recently became the 15th goalie in NHL history — and first from the United States — to win 400 games.
“His absolute humility for a first ballot Hall of Famer, and a goaltender, is impressive,” Maloney said.
Maloney pointed to that humility, as well as a tremendous drive and work ethic that set Quick apart. As someone who’s spent 50 years in the Rangers family, Maloney was able to draw on two comps to Quick — former Rangers Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist.
“No one outworked [them],” he said.
“There’s a compete there that does rub off (on their teammates). … When someone comes in with a pedigree as a winner, there is an impact. [Quick’s] humility and his compete and his aura at 39 have been totally impressive, totally impressive. You can see why winners are winners and he’s been a winner for those reasons.”
Quick is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, including twice as the No. 1 goalie for the Los Angeles Kings. During the 2024 playoffs, Rangers players raved about Quick’s leadership and calming presence despite the fact he didn’t play a single second in the 16 games, sitting behind Shesterkin the entire time.
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