Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin falls out of No. 1 spot in NHL Network ranking of top goalies
Igor Shesterkin is now be the highest-paid goalie in the League, but the New York Rangers netminder is no longer the best, according to NHL Network.
Shesterkin dropped from No. 1 a year ago to No. 3 on the 2025 list, which was revealed on-air Thursday night.
The 29-year-old is coming off the worst season statistically in his NHL career. Shesterkin had a losing record (27-29-5) for the first time across six seasons. And he posted his worst goals-against average (2.86) and save percentage (.905).
Of course numbers can’t be viewed completely in a bubble. Though he wasn’t nearly as sharp or consistent as previous years, Shesterkin played behind one of the most porous defenses in the League last season. Plus, an overall malaise shrouded the team in an overall mystifying and dismal season, one of the most disappointing in Rangers history.
The Rangers became just the fourth NHL team all-time to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs one season after winning the Presidents’ Trophy.
Early in the season, Shesterkin continually covered up for the egregious mistakes made by his teammates. But he, and backup Jonathan Quick, seemed beaten down from being under siege more often than not. And their play regressed over the course of the 2024-25 campaign.
Shesterkin started a career-high 61 games last season and equaled his career-best with six shutouts, which tied for second most in the League. He saved 21.6 goals above expected, per MoneyPuck, seventh most in the NHL. So, it wasn’t all bad for Shesterkin, who faced the most shots of any goalie in the League last season (1,751).
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Though there’s a contingent of Rangers fans that are pissed off Shesterkin dropped to third in the NHL Network rankings, it’s hard to argue with the two goalies listed above him.
Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets is the new No. 1 in the Network’s ranking. The 32-year-old won his second straight Vezina Trophy last season, the third time he’s been voted the League’s top goalie. He also helped the Jets win the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the NHL (190) for the second consecutive season.
Hellebuyck became the first goalie to win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP since Carey Price in 2015, and helped the Jets win their first Presidents’ Trophy.
It’s hard to argue that he’s not the best goalie in the world right now. Though, it’s fair to debate whether Shesterkin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, or even Jordan Binnington is the best big-game goalie.
Speaking of Vasilevskiy, he finished No. 2 in the NHL Network goalie rankings. The two-time Stanley Cup champion was superb in 2024-25 (38-20-5, 2.18 GAA, .921 save percentage, six shutouts) and fully healthy after a downturn the season before.
Shesterkin appears primed for a bounce-back season himself. That’s certainly not a bad place to be in. Even after his worst season, Shesterkin is still considered one of the three best goalies in the League. And it’s hard to find anyone who thinks other than that the 2021 Vezina Trophy winner will be in top form again in 2025-26.
As for that richest goalie contract in NHL history Shesterkin signed last year and kicks in this season? No doubt, he will be held to even higher standards. But a look at Shesterkin’s career shows he’s always been at his best when the stakes are their highest.
So, buoyed by a new coach (Mike Sullivan) and new shutdown stud on the defense corps (Vladislav Gavrikov), plus plenty motivated, it’s not hard to envision Shesterkin back atop the NHL Network goalie rankings a year from now.
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