3 reasons Igor Shesterkin is not out of the race for the Vezina Trophy

Shesterkin may have enjoyed the best four weeks of any goaltender

Two of Igor Shesterkin’s previous three starts have not been high-quality, but let’s look at the month he had between February 12th and March 12th, when he logged a remarkable 8-1-1 record, posted three shutouts, a 0.956 save percentage, and a GAA of just 1.50.

He was also tied for second in wins that month with Ilya Samsonov, while only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen won more games, leading the NHL in that span with nine. But nobody recorded three shutouts in those four weeks, and Shesterkin was also second in shots against at 340, once again trailing Luukkonen, who saw 368. 

If Shesterkin records another epic four weeks like what we saw between February 12th and March 12th, starting now and ending it when the Rangers play their final game on April 15th, he will have a chance to unseat Hellebuyck. 

It won’t be an easy endeavor, considering Hellebuyck’s sheer consistency this season. But when you look at the overall numbers, Shesterkin is just 0.11 points behind the Jets primary netminder in save percentage and 0.3 behind in GAA, so there is more than enough time to gain ground.