Igor Shesterkin Ranks Among NHL’s Elite in TSN Goalie Tiers as Rangers’ Defense Sits Mid-Pack
Igor Shesterkin will enter the 2025-26 season as the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL and a driving force behind the New York Rangers’ spot in TSN’s top tier of goalie rankings.
Despite what was considered a “down” year posting a 27-29-5 record, 2.86 goals-against average, and .905 save percentage the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner still ranked seventh in goals saved above expected (21.6) and logged a career-high 61 starts. TSN’s Travis Yost still regards Shesterkin, 29, as one of the league’s top netminders, second only to Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck.
Signed to an eight-year, $92 million deal starting this season, Shesterkin has been New York’s No. 1 goalie since 2020, when Henrik Lundqvist retired. However, questions linger over veteran backup Jonathan Quick’s ability to provide reliable relief after a sharp statistical drop-off last season, putting more pressure on Shesterkin to carry the load.
Rangers Land in Middle Tier of TSN’s Defense Rankings Despite Shesterkin’s Elite Status
While Igor Shesterkin’s stellar play helped place the Rangers in TSN’s top tier for goaltenders, the team’s defense corps sits in Tier 3 alongside the Islanders and Blue Jackets in the network’s latest rankings.
The Rangers, who missed the playoffs last season, are banking on 2021 Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox and newly signed shutdown defender Vladislav Gavrikov to improve their blue line. Gavrikov, expected to pair with Fox on the top unit, is seen as a defensive anchor whose steady play could free Fox to be more aggressive offensively.
Despite this boost, TSN analyst Travis Yost ranked the Rangers’ defensive depth in the league’s middle tier, noting they still lag behind elite units like the Colorado Avalanche’s, led by Cale Makar, and the Carolina Hurricanes’ the only Metropolitan Division team to crack Tier 1 after acquiring K’Andre Miller from New York.
The Rangers will need Gavrikov’s defensive impact to translate quickly if they hope to rebound from one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history.
