Only once in NHL history has there been a goalie goal in three consecutive seasons. Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers might be planning on making sure that record gets tied in 2024-25.
One of the best puckhandlers among all NHL goalies, Shesterkin was showing off his long-distance shooting skills at a recent master class held in Russia. Though, truthfully, we’ve seen the Rangers netminder actually do better during actual games shooting at an open net at the other end of the rink, there’s no doubt he was having fun with the youth goalies attending the camp.
The master class took place in Cherepovets and was led by Shesterkin and his former Rangers teammate Pavel Buchnevich.
In another video from earlier, Shesterkin was asked about scoring a goal.
“Well, I’ll start doing that in October,” Shesterkin said with a laugh, pointing towards the start of the NHL season.
If Shesterkin — or any other NHL goalie — scores a goal in 2024-25, it would mark the third consecutive season a goalie goal was scored. Tristan Jarry scored for the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 4-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 30 last season. That followed a goal by Linus Ullmark, then with the Boston Bruins, the season before against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 25, 2023.
The only other time in NHL history a goalie goal was scored in three consecutive seasons was from the 2011-12 season through the 2013-14 season. However, the first two of those goals — by Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward on Dec. 26, 2011 and Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils on March 21, 2013 — were own goals knocked in by the opposing team. The third of those goals was shot into an empty net by Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes on Oct. 19, 2013.
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There’s no doubt that Shesterkin has both the ability and the desire to score a goalie goal. Many times in his first five NHL seasons, the 28-year-old has lined things up and let fly at an open net. And many believe he’s got as good a chance as any current NHL goalie to one day score a goal.
No Rangers goalie has ever scored a goal. Nor have the Blueshirts ever allowed one.
Brodeur was credited with three goals in his career, most of any NHL goalie. However, only one was shot into the net, with the other two knocked in accidentally by the opposition. Ron Hextall scored two goals, each on a long-distance shot, for the Philadelphia Flyers.
The first goalie goal was credited to Billy Smith of the New York Islanders on Nov. 28, 1979 when Rob Ramage of the Colorado Rockies put the puck in his own net.
Shesterkin may have picked the brain of Buchnevich about contracts before or after the master class. Buchnevich signed a six-year, $48 million contract extension this summer with the St. Louis Blues. And Shesterkin is eligible for his own extension now, heading toward unrestricted free agency after the 2024-25 season.
Reportedly, Shesterkin ‘s camp is aiming to make him the highest-paid goalie in NHL history, surpassing the $10.5 million AAV of Carey’s Price’s deal with the Montreal Canadiens. Some reports say Shesterkin wants more than $12 million per season on a long-term deal with the Rangers.
Needing to also sign RFAs Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller to hefty raises next offseason, the Rangers have plenty of work to do getting Shesterkin signed before July 1, 2025.
And that’s even without a goalie goal on his resume.
