Rangers star goalie takes blame for lost season: ‘could play way better’
Igor Shesterkin helped the New York Rangers remain afloat in the Stanley Cup Playoff race for nearly three months this season before sustaining a lower-body injury on Jan. 5. Without him, the Rangers cratered over the next month, fell out of postseason contention, and dropped to last place in the Eastern Conference.
Yet, the franchise goalie took ownership for the Rangers’ second straight playoff miss during their breakup day Friday at the MSG Training Center.
Shesterkin was fourth in the NHL in goals-saved above average (22.58) and first in GSAA at 5-on-5 this season (22.96) in 2025-26, according to Natural Stat Trick. He finished 25-19-6 with a .912 save percentage in 51 starts, but the Rangers were 2-11-0 in the 13 games he missed after sustaining that injury during a 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth mere days after a triumphant performance against the Florida Panthers at the 2026 NHL Winter Classic in Miami.
Igor Shesterkin thinks he ‘can be better’ for Rangers
Shesterkin got the Rangers within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final in 2022 and 2024 during his sterling first seven NHL seasons. Even this season, the Rangers were within striking distance of the playoffs when the calendar turned to 2026.
But he still feels he could have done more for New York.
“I could play way better,” Shesterkin said in his media availability at breakup day. “I was a little bit shocked when I checked my numbers, and I was a little bit upset about it.”
Despite the injury, Shesterkin finished seventh in the NHL in goals-against average (2.50), was tied for third in save percentage (.912) and was 13th in saves (1,299) and shots faced (1,425).
His numbers were much better than 2024-25, when he had a 2.86 GAA, .905 save percentage and 8.28 all-situation GSAA. Still, the Rangers overall play this season was much worse.
“We need to go through the offseason with these thoughts, and we need to work hard in the summer,” Shesterkin said. “We need to get back in playoffs for sure.”
Igor Shesterkin’s lower-body injury helped derail Rangers season
Despite their near-complete inability to score at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers were sniffing around the playoff field as 2025 turned into 2026 — almost entirely thanks to Shesterkin.
He led the NHL in saves and was third in all-situation GSAA entering New York’s home game against the Mammoth on Jan. 5. The Rangers, fresh off a 5-1 win over the two-time defending Cup champion Florida Panthers in the Winter Classic, were three points out of the final playoff spot.
By the time Shesterkin returned from his lower-body injury, general manager Chris Drury issued the retool-letter 2.0, countryman Artemi Panarin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, and the organization raised the white flag.
“Some injuries are easier to endure than others, and we had some key ones at certain points in the season that made it tough,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said Friday, before citing Shesterkin’s injury, Vincent Trocheck’s early-season infection, and Adam Fox‘s back-to-back injuries.
Shesterkin is the latest in a long line of elite Rangers goalies who failed to fail to win the Stanley Cup, so far. This season, on the heels of the disappointing 2024-25 campaign, seems to have left the Rangers farther from the summit than they’ve been in some time.
Still, Shesterkin thinks the Rangers are close to being a a contender again.
“Just play hockey, don’t overthink,” he said when asked what the Rangers need to do to get back to the playoffs. “We play in one of the best cities in the world. We play in front of some of the best fans in the world. I think we need to just enjoy it and be ourselves.”
