Igor Shesterkin Focused On the Present
While contract talks have been ongoing off the ice, Shesterkin showed tonight that he does not care about any of that. He was himself tonight, with no issues with any concentration or focus. We hope to get a resolution regarding his contract in the coming days, but Igor does not want to negotiate while the season is ongoing. Showing that he is entirely focused on what is happening will ensure no one doubts him.
The former Vezina Trophy winner had a shaky start to the 2023-24 season, but he found his footing after the all-star break. When the Rangers netminder rebounded, the Blueshirts started to heat up going into the playoffs. He was a wall as the Rangers could focus on settling into their defensive structure and getting the offense flowing.
Showing his full range of passing, Shesterkin was vital in moving the puck up the ice, particularly on the man-advantage. When the Rangers have Shesterkin behind them, they look like a more complete roster. Having a sixth strong puck-mover on the ice is a significant asset that the Rangers get the luxury of. It's an underrated tool that the Blueshirts' backstop has, and he got to flex both his shot-stopping and his puck movement in this victory tonight.
Rangers' Depth Scoring Looks Much Improved
Goals from all four lines indicate that a roster's scoring depth is there. It's in a great place, considering the Blueshirt's weapons falling silent have been the cause of elimination from the postseason in the last three seasons. If the players brought in to supplement the depth can do that job thoroughly, the Rangers will enjoy a long postseason.
In particular, the third line looks so much better. Chytil was a significant miss during last season, and coming back to flex his offensive muscle against the Penguins was something everyone involved needed. The fans saw the depth return, Chytil got back in the goal column, and the Rangers got to see a key cog start turning again. He'll need to continue and stay on the ice, but it's a great start.
Sam Carrick becoming the second-fastest Ranger ever to score on his debut indicates that this might mesh well. Fourth-line goals are unreliable, but when the bottom line can add to the scoresheet, the Blueshirts can look at their summer and consider it a success. There's a long way to go, but it's a bright start. Doing this without Jimmy Vesey is a sign that an organization has figured out its depth concerns.