Rangers’ Shesterkin, Gavrikov set for star-studded charity hockey game in Russia
Current New York Rangers stars Igor Shesterkin and Vladislav Gavrikov are joining former Blueshirts forwards Artemi Panarin and Pavel Buchnevich to take part in the annual Match of the Year charity game on July 25 at SKA Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia, according to the event’s official Instagram page.
The annual event was created by Panarin and Utah Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev a few years ago. Proceeds benefit Panarin’s Arena Play sports center network and Sergachev’s Sector 98 charity foundation.
Match of the Year debuted in 2024 and takes place each summer, featuring many of Russia’s top NHL and KHL players, including Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer.
“I got injured and was going through rehab (in 2023-24 with the Tampa Bay Lightning). I had more free time, so I decided to call Artemi and suggest we combine our efforts,” Sergachev explained recently. “Then Artemi said, ‘Why don’t you call Ovechkin, and the three of us can organize everything together?'”
After the first two events were held in Moscow, Match of the Year makes its St. Petersburg debut this summer.
“We’re seeing just how much interest there is in the match from people all across the country, so we decided to take the event on the road,” Panarin explained.
Unlike the previous two years, which featured NHL players against KHL stars, this year’s star-studded match introduced a draft — aside from Ovechkin, who determined his team by drawing a lottery ball. Panarin and Sergachev served as captains during the draft this past Sunday. Panarin, who was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in February, selected former Rangers teammates Shesterkin and Gavrikov; Buchnevich, the St. Louis Blues star who was acquired from the Rangers after playing his first five NHL seasons in New York, landed on Sergachev’s team.
Panarin’s squad is loaded with NHL talent, including Kirill Kaprizov, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matvei Michkov, Valeri Nichushkin and Dmitry Orlov. Team Sergachev is headlined by Ovechkin and also features Ilya Sorokin, Yaroslav Askarov, Kirill Marchenko, Aliaksei Protas, Vasily Podkolzin and Alexander Romanov.
Hockey Hall of Famer Igor Larionov is among the coaches for the charity game. The festivities also include musical acts and a vibe that rivals the NHL All-Star Game.
