After finishing up my most recent story about the excellence that was Jaromír Jágr's 2005-06 season, I wanted to look back on some other records that players have come oh so close to breaking. The record in question was established back during the 1993-94 season, and it is one that Henrik Lundqvist was unable to claim for himself. Given Igor Shesterkin's importance to the Rangers, and the uncertainty surrounding the backup situation, there could be a clear path for him to move up in the team history books.
Mike Richter's 1993-94 season was one to remember
The Rangers won the Stanley Cup over three decades ago, and the performance of Richter is a huge reason why. He was sensational in the playoffs posting a .921 save percentage along with a 2.07 goals against average, but his work in the regular season was just as important to leading the team to a Presidents' Trophy.
Richter finished the season with a record of 42-12-6, a .910 save percentage and a 2.57 goals against average along with five shutouts. That year he led the league in wins, and to this day no Rangers goaltender has won more games in a single season. Additionally, he's the only goaltender in team history to win at least 40 games in a single season, with Lundqvist coming as close as recording 39 wins during a single season.
There's so many records that Lundqvist holds for the organization, but the single season win record is one that has remained with Richter, and will seemingly be hard to take away from him. Or that's what you'd like to think.
Shesterkin has come close before
Shesterkin had the tough tasks of following in the footsteps of Lundqvist as starting goaltender of the New York Rangers, and with that comes a lot of pressure. His arrival to the NHL coincided with Lundqvist's career winding down. It even reached a point where the team had a three headed monster that also included Alexandar Georgiev. The three goalie setup wasn't tenable, and it led to the team making the tough decision to buy out the final year of Lundqvist's contract.
Lundqvist never played again, and his heart condition made it unsafe for him to try and continue his career after signing with the Washington Capitals. All of this is to say that Shesterkin is judged very harshly, and some feel he's overrated and undeserving of his contract.
I think that talk is silly, because when you dive into the numbers, Shesterkin's performance with the Rangers has been incredibly efficient. To that point, we know Richter set his record of 42 wins in 68 appearances when the schedule had 84 games. It just so happens that the league is returning to an 84-game slate per team in 2026-27.
Shesterkin's three-best seasons saw him win 36 games in 52 starts, 37 games in 58 starts, and 36 games in 55 starts. That he's come within single digits of Richter's record, while making significantly fewer appearances, is very impressive.
Goalie | Season | Wins |
|---|---|---|
Mike Richter | 1993-94 | 42 wins in 68 games |
Henrik Lundqvist | 2011-12 | 39 wins in 62 games |
Henrik Lundqvist | 2008-09 | 38 wins in 70 games |
Igor Shesterkin | 2022-23 | 37 wins in 58 games |
Igor Shesterkin | 2021-22 | 36 wins in 53 ganes |
Igor Shesterkin | 2023-24 | 36 wins in 55 games |
How realistic is it for Shesterkin to push for the record?
The logistics of Shesterkin pushing for the record are ultimately tied to how good the Rangers can be. Shesterkin directly being able to impact that is what makes this all the more intriguing. To that I will say that in 2024-25 he had 27 wins in 61 starts, and last year he had 25 wins in 51 starts, so things are trending in the right direction.
Assuming Shesterkin remains healthy this season, he should make at least 60 appearances. Depending on how good the team is, and whether or not they are in contention to make the playoffs, that number could increase ever so slightly.
I am not saying it is likely for Shesterkin to win 43 games this upcoming season. But given that the team penned the Letter 2.0, and signaled an intent to retool and be better... there should be an opportunity for him to make a serious push in the next few years.
Make no mistake... he signed the biggest goalie contract in league history and he's the Rangers best or second best player depending on how you feel about Adam Fox.
Given his history of efficiency to this point, I would say he's got a good shot of claiming the single season record for himself.
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