With the recent firing of head coach Peter Laviolette, it is clear that the New York Rangers‘ organization is wasting no time trying to right the ship from a disastrous 2024-25 season. But outside of organizational scrutiny, it is also important to analyze the players themselves in an effort to try and predict and rearrange the roster for the following season.
When it comes to player analysis from the 2024-25 season, perhaps no player is more polarizing than Igor Shesterkin. There are many who see his low save percentage (SV%) and expensive contract (he is owed $11.5 million for each of the next eight seasons) as one of the main reasons for the Rangers’ failures this season. There are other fans who point the finger at the Rangers’ horrific defense and argue that the situation would, in fact, be far worse were it not for Shesterkin’s consistency and reliability.
Durability
Shesterkin shouldered a massive workload for the Rangers this season. He played in 61 games, tied for fourth in the NHL. He faced 1,751 shots on goal and made 1,584 saves, both of which led the league. It is no easy feat for a goalie to be available for the entire season and durable enough to start over 60 games. Especially for the 2024-25 Rangers, who had a season marked by turmoil and inconsistency, it was critical that they could at least rely on Shesterkin to consistently start the majority of their team’s games.
Low Save Percentage, But Great Advanced Metrics
On the surface, Shesterkin’s .905 SV% does not look great. It represents the lowest mark of his career by a significant amount and is not the number the Rangers had in mind when they signed him to his massive contract.
