It is undeniable that the New York Rangers’ goaltender Igor Shesterkin has been nothing short of outstanding this season. His performance has landed himself in Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy conversations this year, for the most valuable player to his team and the best goaltender, respectively. The Rangers would not have the record they do, and would not be a contender for the Stanley Cup this season, if it weren’t for Shesterkin and his MVP-caliber play.

There are many things that set Shesterkin apart from other goaltenders in the league, and it’s especially impressive considering he is still very early in his young career. His skating and puck skills are exemplary, his movements are sharp and calculated and his skills against breakaways and odd-man rushes are second to none. All of this has translated to one of the best goaltending seasons seen in the history of the NHL. He’s hovering around ninth all-time for save percentage in a season at .934. 

Shesterkin can control the game better than most goalies in the league. He handles the puck like a player, almost acting as a third defenseman out on the ice. His puck control is among the best in the league and is lauded by players and coaches alike. This skill is incredibly important on the powerplay, when opposing teams clear the puck out of their zone. He starts rushes and begins breakouts out of the defensive zone, sparking the offense with his length-of-the-ice passes. 

Not only is he a young star with elite potential, he has a legendary goalie coach in Benoit Allaire. Allaire’s tenure as the Rangers head goaltender coach began in 2004, right before Henrik Lundqvist came onto the scene. He was a major factor in the illustrious career of Lundqvist, and his work is continually evident in the success of Shesterkin this year.

Lundqvist’s 2011-12 Vezina-winning season is comparable to Shesterkin’s performance this year, though there are still games remaining. In 62 games, “The King” put up a 39-18 record, with a 1.97 goals against average and a .930 save percentage, along with eight shutouts. In only 45 games this season, Shesterkin has a 32-10 record with a 2.13 goals against average and a .934 save percentage. He leads the league in save percentage, and is not far behind the league leader, Frederik Andersen, in goals against average. Win percentage is a big tell of performance, and Igor is a little above 71%, surpassing Lundqvist’s win percentage of 10 years ago. It’s clear that Shesterkin could be on his way to winning the Vezina Trophy, if not the Hart Trophy this year as the most valuable player to his team. 

As the projected leader or runner-up among Hart Trophy candidates, Shesterkin is up against big names like Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid and Jonathan Huberdeau. No other goalies seem to be in the race, but this is only because Shesterkin is the reason that the Rangers have won as many games as they have. No other goalie has contributed as much to the success of their team, as skilled as they may be. 

Shesterkin went through a bit of a rough patch in March that had fans worried about his longevity in the playoffs, but a rough patch for him is like an average season for another goalie. He returned to form in crucial matchups against the Penguins, earning two much-needed wins within a week. He will ultimately be the key to a Rangers playoff run, so a rough patch now will hopefully lead to a turnaround in crunch-time. 

As great as individual trophies are, there is no player in the NHL that would rather have one over a Stanley Cup championship. That has to be the end goal for the Rangers, even though they may be underdogs. Shesterkin is at the beginning of his prime, leaving the window wide open for a championship within the next few years. He has put the team on his back for the entire season, and fans will look for him to continue his dominance in the playoffs.