Rangers Report Cards: Grading the Goaltenders
Get ready for some glove-saving, puck-blocking action as we dive into how the New York Rangers’ goaltenders held up in the 2022-23 season.
Hey there, fantastic Blue Line Station readers! As our report card series powers on, we’re here to deliver another round of grades straight from the action-packed pages of the New York Rangers’ 2022-23 season.
We’ve already tackled the centers, left-wingers, right-wingers, left-defensemen, and right-defensemen. And yes, we’re keeping the hits coming – we’ve got coaching and front-office evaluations just around the corner. Yet today, New York’s extraordinary goaltenders are taking center stage.
That said, it’s important to acknowledge where these netminders were at the season’s midpoint. Let’s see how the landscape has shifted or held steady like a goalie’s glove. So, grab your virtual scorecards, and let’s dive into the crease!
Rangers Report Cards: Igor Shesterkin: A (A)
Igor Shesterkin is the real deal. Last season, he went full MVP mode and snagged the Vezina Trophy. It was one of the greatest seasons by a netminder of all time. He went 36-14-4 with a .935 save percentage, a 2.62 Goals against average, and a +34.1 Goals Saved Above Expected. Talk about making waves, right?
And guess what? He didn’t stop there. He was lights-out again this season, keeping the Blueshirts breathing for as long as possible. The CZAR has filled in seamlessly for the legendary King and Hall of Famer, Henrik Lundqvist.
This season, the reigning Vezina winner ranked in the top 10 for save percentage among goalies who played 25+ games this season.
That said, with just 216 goals against, suitable for 4th best in the NHL, you think the Rangers had some solid defense. Nope, there’s a reason Shesterkin was fifth in goals saved above expected, +28.1, according to Moneypuck.
Yes, New York might have surrendered many shots in quantity and quality, but Shestekrin was their guardian angel.
Shesterkin allowed 144 goals in the regular season, yet it’s great when you consider his expected goals against was 172.05. And while he might not have been as sharp on the penalty kill, allowing 31 goals compared to 18 in 2021-22, the guy was a brick wall at even strength, placing fourth in the NHL with a +21.8 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Now, why did his numbers take a slight dip? Blame it on a slow start. His first months were shaky, with several games below a .900 save %. However, he pulled it together and finished strong. He’s a top goalie in the league, so even with a few off games, he still rocked the tenth-best save % at .916.
Shesterkin is the goalie to watch. Don’t just take my word for it; the hockey world knows it too. For the second straight season, Shesterkin was ranked the second-best goaltender, according to Jfresh’s widespread fan poll.
These are the top 10 players at each position according to our offseason fan poll.
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 26, 2023
Do you agree? Who's missing? pic.twitter.com/xOZcDjif4r
The team adores him. Fans practically chant “IGOR! IGOR! IGOR!” in their sleep. After an epic season last year, he followed it up with another stellar run.
He was the backbone of the Rangers, hands down. Without Shesterkin, the New Jersey Devils might have turned the Rangers into a pancake in less than seven games. Those Devils were a force at even strength and even managed to tame the Rangers’ power play. Yet Shesterkin was having none of it. He shut doors left and right, only letting in more than two goals twice. He finished the series with a + 8.8 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Sure, they didn’t go all the way, but his performance was MVP-worthy. If the Rangers went the distance, Shesterkin likely would be your Conn Smythe winner.
Man, the Rangers lucked out with Shesterkin. Transitioning from one great goalie to another is like winning the lottery twice. The 28-year-old’s locked in for two more years at a $5.6 million cap hit. It’s safe to say that Shesterkin is the Rangers’ superstar between the pipes, and there’s no stopping him.
Rangers Report Cards: Jaroslav Halak: B (B)
Halak wasn’t exactly rocking the runway right out of the gate. It wasn’t the slow start where you sip coffee while your computer boots up. Nope, it was more like watching a tortoise at a sprinting contest. Unlike Shesterkin, he didn’t exactly make the most epic comeback. That said, when on his game, he showed why he was once a trusted starter. Yet when Halak was off, it was like watching a comedy of errors.
Halak got his skates on for the Rangers 25 times this season, with a record of 10-9-5. The guy started off as if he’d set his alarm on “snooze” mode, but guess what? Eventually, he found his groove and started dishing out saves like hot pancakes.
Halak finished with a 2.72 Goals Against Average, which is like trying to get your morning toast to the right level of crispiness. He had a .903 save% which is pretty, considering he’s staring down rockets flying at him. When things got spicy in the high-danger zone, Halak was like a goalie ninja. Among those goalies who stepped into the high-danger danger zone at least ten times, he finished 12th with a .789 save percentage.
That said, Halak’s +2.9 Goals Saved Above Expected performance on the penalty kill helped his overall +1.1 Goals Saved Above Expected on the season. He struggled at even strength with a -0.6 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Let’s cut him some slack, though, ’cause being a backup goalie is like being the substitute teacher – you’re either the hero or you’re just trying to keep things from going off the rails. For a 38-year-old backup, he did his job and stayed healthy, giving Shestekrin enough breathers. He outplayed his $1.5 million cap hit, so the cap-compliant Blueshirts couldn’t resign him in free agency.
Rangers Report Cards: Jonathan Quick: C
Unable to resign Halak, the Rangers signed Jonathan Quick, the former Blueshirts fan, for one year, $825K with $1,000 available in performance bonuses.
Quick’s Goals-Against Average hit 3.41 to start the season and his save percentage? Well, it waved hello at .882 – the lowest he’s seen since his rookie days with the Los Angeles Kings. It was like seeing a rockstar lose a few notes. The writing was on the wall, and Los Angeles felt it. So, they made a move – a heartfelt trade, no less.
March 1 marked the day Quick hopped on the Columbus Blue Jackets train after 16 seasons with the Kings, only to switch tracks the next day and be dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights. In his first ten games with the Knights, he went 5-2-2, boasting a 3.13 GAA and a .901 save percentage. He finished the season with a career-worst -17.2 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Quick might not be the hall-of-fame netminder of yore, but he’s still got some tricks up his goalie pads. When Vegas started their Stanley Cup chase, he took on the role of Adin Hill’s backup. So, while he wasn’t not headlining, Quick still showed up and played his part.
The 37-year-old will be riding the bench for most of the season, playing second fiddle to Shesterkin. However, he’s more than just a backup. He’s like adding a dash of championship spice to the Rangers’ locker room, sprinkling some wisdom. Quick’s already got the mentoring game down pat, just like when he took Hill under his wing during the Knights’ Cup run. The Rangers look forward to him doing the same for Shesterkin.