Igor Shesterkin's Recent Stretch Should Concern Rangers Fans
The New York Rangers are firmly inside the playoff picture in the NHL's Eastern Conference, so missing the postseason isn't a concern, but how they perform once they're there is starting to cause some worry.
WynnBET has them listed at +2000 (bet $100 to profit $2,000) to win the Stanley Cup.
It's obvious to everyone, even Rangers fans, that their fate rests on the shoulders of their goaltender, Igor Shesterkin. He's been a Hart Trophy candidate and a Vezina Trophy shoe-in for the majority of the season, but his play has slipped in recent weeks.
Rangers Igor Shesterkin has a 4.03 GAA & an .878 Save % over his last 5 starts
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) March 23, 2022
Igor Shesterkin Has Been the Key to Rangers' Success
As I've been saying all season, the Rangers have a ton of shortcomings that are being disguised by Shesterkin's strong play.
The strongest example is the advanced stat called CORSI%. It measures the amount of all shot attempts (including blocks and missed nets) compared to your opponents. The Rangers rank SECOND TO LAST in the entire NHL in that statistic at 46.15%.
The next worst team in that stat that currently holds a postseason berth is the Nashville Predators, who rank 19th. That goes to show just how important Shesterkin is to the Rangers' success. They're 9-9-2 in games in which he doesn't play, and 30-9-3 in games in which he does.
So yes, if this cold streak by Shesterkin continues, Rangers fans can kiss their Stanley Cup hopes goodbye.