Rangers Roundup: Igor Shesterkin challenging Jacques Plante, Rick Nash jersey retired, and more
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is having a season for the ages in between the pipes. While he is clearly the MVP of the team, he is not only vying for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goalie but the Hart Trophy for league MVP as well.
This season the 26 year-old netminder is 27-6-3. He’s also been running red-hot going 14-2-1 in his last 17 starts and earning a point in eight of the his last nine appearances (7-1-1).
However, his video game like SV% is challenging the all-time single season mark set by legendary goalie Jacques Plante.
Igor Shesterkin challenging Jacques Plants
Per NHL PR, Igor’s 940 SV% is the second highest at this time in the season (min 36 GP) to Jacques Plante, who posted a .942 SV% with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970-71.
It was in that same season Plante established the highest mark ever for a SV% for goalies with a minimum of 30 games played. The record Igor is chasing is .944 set by Plante in 40 games.
“He’s been unbelievable,” Gerard Gallant said shaking his head. “The rush saves, the breakaway saves, he’s unbelievable.”
Currently, Shesterkin’s SV% also ranks first overall in the league and his 1.96 GAA in good for second behind Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman’s 1.95 GAA.
“He’s been great and he continues to be great,” Jacob Trouba said.
Rick Nash has number retired
Former New York Rangers forward Rick Nash became the first player in Columbus Blue Jackets 22 year history to have their number retired.
The Blue Jackets honored Nash in a pregame ceremony and raised his No. 61 banner into the rafters at Nationwide Arena before a 5-4 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins.
Nash spent the first nine years of his NHL career with Columbus after the organization made him the first overall pick in the 2002 NHL Draft. He is the Jackets’ all-time leader in games played (674), goals (289), assists (258) and points (547).
The left winger also spent six seasons with the New York Rangers before finishing his career with 11 games for Boston in 2017-18. He scored 437 goals in 1,060 games.
“This banner doesn’t represent what I did,” he said, addressing the fans. “It represents what we did. … I am so humbled.”
Rick Nash, NHL.com
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