Latest news with #Shesterkin
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Insider Identifies Three 'Untouchable' Rangers in Trade Talks
NHL Insider Identifies Three 'Untouchable' Rangers in Trade Talks originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Rangers are preparing for a potentially active offseason, and, according to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, only three players are safe from trade consideration. Advertisement After a season that fell short of expectations, general manager Chris Drury appears intent on making significant changes to the roster he assembled. Drury promised to revamp the team as soon as last November when he sent a leaguewide memo, and although he pulled off a few transactions, the roster remained intact for the most part. Staple confirmed Drury's initial plans are still active, reporting from the NHL combine ahead of this year's draft that the Rangers are one of several teams expected to pursue major adjustments this summer. "Shesterkin, Fox, and Panarin may be only #NYR untouchables in trade talk," Staple wrote on X. Advertisement That trio arguably features the most consistent performers on a Rangers team that fell short of a Stanley Cup Final appearance by one round last season but failed to make the postseason this year. Goalie Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox are under long-term deals. Forward Artemi Panarin is entering the final year of his seven-year contract, but judging by Staple's report, the franchise wants to keep him in tow, possibly signing him to an extension shortly. New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) celebrates with defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) after scoring a goal against the Carolina Cruz-Imagn Images With those three players protected, the remainder of the roster appears more fluid in terms of potential exits. Players like Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, K'Andre Miller and Alexis Lafreniere could surface in trade talks as the offseason unfolds, as they made it to the rumor mill before the trade deadline. Advertisement According to PuckPedia, the Rangers enter the offseason with $8.4 million in cap space. Related: Maple Leafs Connected to NY Rangers Veteran Amid Offseason Retool This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
22-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Igor Shesterkin laments Rangers' inability to bounce back after ‘something broke during season'
One by one at MSG Training Center on Monday, the Rangers who were at the center of the past two seasons tried to explain what happened from the first to the second that led to the dismissal of their head coach and associate coach. They attempted to identify what was to blame before dispersing for a playoff-less summer. Advertisement 'In my mind, something broke during the season, and [went] the other way,' Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin said. 'We couldn't handle it. It was our job to try to find a way to get back.' The star Russian netminder, who the organization committed to for the next eight years at $92 million, couldn't say exactly what broke. Maybe they lost some luck, he said, or weren't playing with as much confidence as they did last season. Shesterkin noted that even when the Blueshirts fell behind by three last season, they knew they could come back. Advertisement He said he didn't feel that this season. Capping the season with his sixth shutout in a 4-0 win over the Lightning, Shesterkin has 21 over the course of his career and is tied with Lorne Chabot for eighth place on the franchise's all-time list. Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers looks on following a 4-0 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden on April 17, 2025. NHLI via Getty Images Advertisement The 29-year-old finished with a 27-29-5 record with a career-high goals-against average of 2.89 and a career-low save percentage of .905. Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers makes a save against the New York Islanders during the third period at UBS Arena on April 10. NHLI via Getty Images 'I look at this team on paper and it'd be crazy not to think that [this team should be in the playoffs], especially starting with the goalie,' defenseman Calvin de Haan said of Shesterkin. 'He's probably the best player on the team. F–k, he's good. I think we pissed away good goaltending [this season], which is not good. 'That's the most important position and if that starts going to the wayside, it's not good.'
Associated Press
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
'Something broke' for the Rangers, Shesterkin says after missing the playoffs and coach being fired
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — A year ago, the New York Rangers were starting a playoff run to the Eastern Conference final and did not clean out their lockers until June, after losing to eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida. It was far different this time around, when players met with reporters Monday in the aftermath of missing the playoffs and coach Peter Laviolette getting fired over the weekend. After a season that included trading away captain Jacob Trouba and others who played important roles in previous years, there weren't many concrete explanations for the team's drop to 39 wins and 85 points, including a midseason 4-15-0 swoon that essentially cost them a chance of getting in as a wild card. Franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who had the worst season of his six-year NHL career, losing 34 of his 61 starts with a 2.86 goals-against average and .905 save percentage, feels like he and his teammates never established the same rhythm they did in 2023-24. 'In my mind, something broke during the season and went the other way. We couldn't handle it,' said Shesterkin, who next season is starting an eight-year, $92 million contract that makes him the highest-paid goalie in league history. 'Probably not too much confidence.' Shesterkin was far from the only problem. No. 1 center Mika Zibanejad and defensemen Adam Fox and K'Andre Miller struggled, Laviolette paid the price and the Rangers will soon have their fourth coach since 2021. 'We had long stretches of games in which we didn't perform well,' said Fox, whose 61 points were his fewest since the pandemic-shortened 2021 season. 'If we did our job, the coach would still be here.' Zibanejad's production also dipped to 20 goals and 42 assists for 62 points, also his fewest since '21. 'Overall, I just think we just didn't get to the level of play we needed to get to,' said Zibanejad, who has five years left on his contract with an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million. 'There was a lot of I would say 'noise' around our team this year. I'm not saying that it is the cause of it. We didn't have the calmness we had the year before.' Veteran Chris Kreider said he grappled with back issues, a bout of vertigo and a hand injury, but the 33-year-old forward who has spent his entire career with New York expressed eagerness to return next season. 'This is home for me. This is the organization that gave me an opportunity to live out my dream,' said Kreider, a first-round draft pick by the Rangers in 2009 who has two years left on his contract. 'I've developed so many relationships and spent so much time in this area. Obviously, this is where I want to be. This is the group — in whatever fashion — I want to help win hockey games.' Kreider also alluded to off-ice situations that made it a tumultuous last 10 months around the organization. Gritty forward Barclay Goodrow was put on waivers last summer and claimed by rebuilding San Jose, and after drawn-out public drama, Trouba was traded to Anaheim in December. 'It's part of professional sports, but, obviously, at a certain point it becomes somewhat of a distraction,' Kreider said. 'Two guys that were massive leaders for us and a big part of our room … it was certainly challenging.' The Rangers' vaunted power play that ranked third in the league in '23-24 plummeted to 28th of 32 teams this past season, which leading scorer Artemi Panarin blamed for missing the playoffs despite the same core in place. 'This year was hard,' Panarin said. 'If our power play worked better, we make the playoffs.' NOTE: Defenseman Braden Schneider had a sling on his right arm and said he had surgery to repair a torn labrum in that shoulder. Schneider said he expects to be fully healthy for training camp. ___ AP NHL:
Reuters
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Rangers eliminated from playoff contention with loss to Hurricanes
April 12 - Seth Jarvis scored a goal and collected two assists Saturday afternoon in Raleigh N.C. in a 7-3 victory for the Carolina Hurricanes over the New York Rangers, who were eliminated from postseason contention. The Hurricanes (47-27-5, 99 points) swept the four-game season series from the Rangers, who needed a win and a regulation loss by the Montreal Canadiens in Toronto to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. The Rangers (37-36-7, 81 points) fell to 4-8-1 in their past 13 games and will miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season that was reduced to 56 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jarvis scored his ninth goal in his past 17 games and finished with three points for the sixth time this season. Jayden Chatfield also scored in the first period for the Hurricanes, who were eliminated in six games in the second round last spring by the Rangers. Jackson Blake also scored and had an assist while Sebastian Aho collected a pair of assists. Mark Jankowski also scored and William Carrier had an assist in his first game since Jan. 4. Jordan Staal netted Carolina's fifth goal early in the third before Jordan Martinook and Logan Stankoven scored empty-net goals. Will Cuylle scored late in the second for New York. J.T. Miller scored on the power play and Adam Fox also tallied in a span of 2:55 in the third period for the Rangers. Carolina's Pyotr Kochetkov made 28 saves. New York's Igor Shesterkin allowed five goals on 26 shots. After there was not a stoppage for the first 11 minutes, the Hurricanes took the lead with 10:58 left in the first by moving the puck around the offensive zone unimpeded. Dmitry Orlov got the puck from Jarvis and made a cross-ice pass to Chatfield at the right point. Chatfield scored when his shot sailed by Shesterkin, who was screened in front by Stankoven and New York defenseman Will Borgen The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead with 2:46 remaining when Aho made a backhanded pass from behind the net to Jarvis, who flipped the puck by Shesterkin from near the left hash marks. Carolina took a three-goal lead 2:02 into the second when it spent over a minute in the offensive zone and Blake tapped the puck into the open right side of the net. Jankowski scored with 7:01 left in the second when he was wide open in the slot, got a centering pass from behind the net by Carrier and lifted the puck over Shesterkin.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rangers' Igor Shesterkin Must Do Even More To Justify A Record-Breaking Contract
Igor Shesterkin (Danny Wild-Imagn Images) The New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin set a high standard when he signed an eye-catching contract earlier this season – but his results afterward haven't met it yet. Shesterkin's pending UFA status and impending extension were among the NHL's top storylines early in the season. Often regarded as one of the best goalies in the league, there were reports before his extension that he looked to reset the market for top-tier backstops. Advertisement He did just that with an eight-year deal worth $11.5-million annually that kicks in next season. But there's immense pressure and expectations of being a highly paid starter, where great isn't good enough. Shesterkin will be the highest-paid goalie in 2025-26, and his play has to justify that investment. It's questionable at the moment. He's now amid one of his most challenging seasons since debuting with the New York Rangers in 2019. His 2.84 goals-against average and .906 save percentage are respectable but not elite, especially considering the record-setting cap hit. They're both career worsts for him. While few will ever reach the numbers that will justify an $11.5-million cap hit, the Rangers' eventual willingness to commit to him as a franchise cornerstone sent a message. They believed in him. Advertisement It's way too early to declare the massive investment a mistake or a success. It should also be noted the Rangers have been abysmal defensively in front of Shesterkin. He still has 22.2 goals saved above expected, which ranks third in the NHL, according to In a season that didn't go to plan for the Rangers, Shesterkin has had to bail out his teammates, and The Hockey News' Remy Mastey wrote that Shesterkin is proving his worth. But his drop in goals-against average and save percentage does raise the question about how consistently strong goalies like him need to play to justify eight-digit cap hits. Can Igor Shesterkin Save The New York Rangers This Season? Can Igor Shesterkin Save The New York Rangers This Season? The New York Rangers made goaltender Igor Shesterkin the highest-paid goalie in NHL history in December, but he hasn't played like it. Advertisement His current stats echo what happened to Sergei Bobrovsky when he signed a monster contract with the Florida Panthers. Bobrovsky left the Columbus Blue Jackets for a lucrative $10-million cap hit in Florida after already winning the Vezina Trophy twice and recording a 2.58 GAA and .913 in 2019-19. His numbers with the Panthers worsened, and he recorded a 3.23 GAA and .900 SP in the first season of his new contract. It took him multiple seasons to rediscover his elite form. While he eventually led the Panthers to a Stanley Cup in 2024, the journey to justifying his contract was a long one. Now, with nearly 50 career shutouts – including five this season and six last year – he's proving his worth. But for years, there were questions about whether his deal was one of the worst in the league and how big a mistake the Panthers might have made. While elite goaltenders can be game-changers, big-money deals come with significant risk. Shesterkin now has the pressure to prove they are worth the investment. Similar questions about Bobrovsky could surround Shesterkin if his numbers don't rebound when the new contract begins. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
