An All-Star snub for Igor Shesterkin?

So, the New York Rangers best player didn’t get picked for the Metropolitan Division All-Star team.  Should we be upset?  To be honest, we shouldn’t be.  While it’s an honor to be recognized, it’s still a weird three-on-three mini-game geared towards offense and why risk injury in a goal-fest?   Sure, the skills competition will be cool and Igor would have been able to show off his skills, but better to save it for games that matter.

The other issue is every team needs to be represented and the Blueshirts already have Adam Fox and Chris Kreider going to Las Vegas so with only 11 players from each eight team Division selected, no team is sending more than two players to the All-Star weekend.

The real question is how good Igor Shesterkin is compared to Tristan Jarry and Frederik Andersen, the two goalies selected from the Met division.  Well, after his shutout against San Jose, it’s absolutely no contest.  Shesterkin is the best goalie not only in the Metropolitan Division, but in the entire NHL.

Let’s look at the stats, comparing goalies who have appeared in at least 10 games.

Goals against average:

• 1.99 – Igor Shesterkin
• 2.02 – Jack Campbell, Toronto
• 2.05 – Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh
• 2.08 – Frederik Andersen, Carolina
• 2.18 – Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa

Save percentage:

• .939 – Igor Shesterkin
• .935 – Jack Campbell, Toronto
• .929 – Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh
• .929 – Anthony Stolarz, Anaheim
• .927 – Juuse Saros, Nashville

Points percentage (points gained in games started):

• .818 – Jake Oettinger, Dallas
• .809 – Igor Shesterkin
• .805 – Ilya Samsonov, Washington
• .782 – Frederik Andersen, Carolina
• .773 –  Laurent Brossoit, Vegas

Power play save percentage:

• .945 – Igor Shesterkin
• .943 – John Gibson, Anaheim
• .938 – Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh
• .929 – Stuart Skinner, Edmonton
• .928 – James Reimer, San Jose

Goals saved above average:

• 21 – Jack Campbell, Toronto
• 20 – Igor Shesterkin
• 16 – Juuse Saros, Nashville
• 16 – Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh
• 12 – Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa

High danger shot save percentage:

• .868 – Igor Shesterkin
• .862 – Juuse Saros, Nashville
• .860 – Anthony Stolarz, Anaheim
• .857 – Carter Hart, Philadelphia
• .856 – Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles

Shesterkin lags behind the league leaders when it comes to wins, but that is due to missing games with a lower body in jury and then the COVID-19 protocol.  He has won 16 times in 21 starts.

With three shutouts, he is two behind Jacob Markstrom who has five.  Let’s not forget the shutout he shared with Alexandar Georgiev when he injured his groin in December against San Jose.

The bottom line is that playing in the All-Star game means little.  It’s the hardware at the end of the season that matters, including two trophies, named the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy.  Then again, a Vezina wouldn’t look bad on Shesterkin’s mantelpiece either.

All Ranger fans should be grateful that the team has found a worthy successor to Henrik Lundqvist.  The important factor for Shesterkin is staying healthy, probably the only thing standing in  his way as he continues his NHL career.