Three players who can make or break the New York Rangers season
By Jim Lynch
1. Igor Shesterkin
Igor Shesterkin is a former Vezina Trophy winner and Hart Trophy finalist. In 2021-22 he helped lead the Rangers into the playoffs and even backstopped the team to a Conference Final run, but this past season he just was not as great.
In 2021-22 Shesterkin put up a .935 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.07, those were some impressive numbers from the young goalie as the Rangers went 36-13-4 when he was in the net.
This past season his numbers were still good, a .916 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.48, but the Rangers need him to be a difference maker night in and night out.
Success for the Rangers does hinge on Igor Shesterkin, but at the same time that is tough to say because he really has been one of their best players the past few seasons. The Rangers were fourth in the league last season giving up just 219 goals against, in large part that is thanks to the great play of Igor Shesterkin, now he has to have a great performance like that again.