Igor Shesterkin is making his case for the Hart Trophy
Shesterkin is somehow getting better by the week.
Another immaculate week is in the books for the New York Rangers. They went 3-0-0 and are back in second place in the Metropolitan Division.
Several Rangers are stepping up and improving their play, but Igor Shesterkin is in a league of his own.
Player of the Week: G Igor Shesterkin
3-0-0
1.67 GAA (5 GA)
.955 SV%
Average Game Score: 1.86
Shesterkin was not only the Rangers’ best player this week, but the NHL’s third star, as well. He did all this without even having that great of a game against the St. Louis Blues.
Shesterkin’s phenomenal play against the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets- when he was the team’s second-best and best player, respectively- allowed him to garner even more league-wide attention.
🙅♂️ pic.twitter.com/Vsf3fVNYz9
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 5, 2022
Shesterkin would have to have a disastrous end to the season to lose the Vezina Trophy race and, although he isn’t technically a top favorite for the Hart Trophy, he probably deserves it.
Igor Shesterkin has never lost a game in his career when he makes 40-plus saves. With 44 saves Sunday, he improved to 10-0-0 in that scenario. #NHLStats: https://t.co/XhXt7pR8y9 pic.twitter.com/H9QTRVH6ij
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 7, 2022
Few players are having such a season and are as valuable to their team as Shesterkin. If the Hart Trophy truly is for the MVP, Shesterkin should be the clear-cut winner.
Honorable Mention #1: RHD Jacob Trouba
vs. STL: 1 A
vs. NJD: 1 A
@ WPG: 1 G, 1 A
Average Game Score: 1.82
Average defensive impact: 0.17
Jacob Trouba extends his assist/point streak to three games with his 19th assist of the season.
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) March 7, 2022
Jacob Trouba scores his ninth goal of the season, the most among #NYR defensemen and the second most of his career (10G – 2013-14).
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) March 7, 2022
Say it with us:
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 7, 2022
Honorable Mention #2: LW Chris Kreider
vs. STL: 1 G
vs. NJD: 1 G, 1 A
@ WPG: 2 G
Average Game Score: 1.66
Average defensive impact: -0.38
With his 36th goal of the season, Chris Kreider ties Anders Hedberg for the 17th most points (397) in franchise history.
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) March 5, 2022
Chris Kreider scores for a third-straight game and has four goals in his last six games.
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) March 7, 2022
Chris Kreider has matched his career-high in points with 53, set in 2016-17.
Kreider is one point from 400 in his career.
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) March 7, 2022
Can we talk about Bread's setups tonight 🥵 pic.twitter.com/znuRpDsBIA
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 3, 2022
Immaculate. pic.twitter.com/tthez3xZ8o
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 5, 2022
Never gets old. pic.twitter.com/tejSybbAfk
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 7, 2022
Need for SPEED. 💨 pic.twitter.com/Yp73uC2FDM
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 7, 2022
Leen has written about the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, and international soccer. She is currently the primary NHL writer for ESNY. Leen's work has been featured on Bleacher Report and she was formerly a contributor for FanSided's New York Mets blog, Rising Apple. She is a co-host of the Yankees-Mets Express podcast.
