New York Rangers: An update on Igor Shestyorkin’s future

At age 23, goaltender Igor Shestyorkin of SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL is expected to be Henrik Lundqvist’s heir in net for the New York Rangers. Recent developments make it seem as if the goalie will make the jump to North America as soon as next year.

Part of figuring out the New York Ranger’s long term plan as an organization is the succession plan for Henrik Lundqvist. As the cornerstone of the franchise for more than a decade, the Swede and the team’s successes were one and the same. As the goaltender’s performance went, so did the wins and losses.

At age 36 and less than a month away from 37-years-old, the clock is running on Lundqvist’s time in the NHL. Although he’s held his own this year behind a porous Rangers defense, there will come a point in the near future when the Swede will need to be replaced. No one beats father time forever, especially as a goaltender.

This brings us to the succession plan that appears to be in place for the immediate future. With all due respect to current backup Alexandar Georgiev, the Rangers front office did not expect much from the Bulgarian when he was called up last season. While the goaltender is playing above expectations, he is not the long term solution at the position.

With little developmental experience under Georgiev’s belt and status as an amateur free agent make him expendable. This is where the 118th pick of the 2014 entry draft, Igor Shestyorkin, comes into play. For the past three seasons, the Russian was either the starter or split time in tandem for SKA St.Petersburg, the best team in the KHL.

As the starter at age 20, Shestyorkin played out of his mind and had a1.64 goals against average with a .937 save percentage. Granted, at the time, that would be the equivalent of playing behind the 2001 New Jersey Devils’ defense.

The Magnus Hellberg contract

Over in the KHL, the season typically ends in early Spring with enough time that talented enough players are able to make the jump right to the NHL postseason when their contracts expire. Take Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello who came over to the team for good in 2013 following the end of the KHL season.

Granted, Shestyorkin is not going to make the jump to the NHL this March, but a news story from Friday made it seem as if his arrival stateside will be a matter of months instead of years. On Friday, SKA St. Petersburg agreed to an extension with goaltender Magnus Hellberg. The team giving Hellberg a multi-year extension is an early nod that Shestyorkin may move on.

The Rangers need an honest assessment of where the Russian is in his development. The KHL is the second best league in the world however, its style of play is different from the NHL. In addition, Shestyorkin is playing behind a juggernaut of a team that does not concede many scoring chances.

The Hellberg extension is not a guarantee that Shestyorkin will make an arrival stateside this summer but it is at least a clue.

Part of ensuring a successful rebuild is figuring out a replacement plan for Lundqvist. As one of the best players in the history of both the team and position, it will be a daunting task for any goaltender. The ball may already be in motion for a potential candidate making the jump this year to start working his way into the plan.