On Monday, the New York Rangers gathered at the MSG Training Center to reflect on a disappointing season that ended without a playoff appearance. The team faced significant changes, including the dismissal of their head coach and associate coach.
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who recently signed a long-term contract worth $92 million, shared his thoughts on the season. He felt something went wrong during the year, leading the team in the wrong direction. “In my mind, something broke during the season,” he said. Shesterkin couldn’t pinpoint the exact issue but suggested it might have been a loss of luck or confidence compared to the previous season.
Last year, the Rangers often rallied from behind, but Shesterkin noted that this season felt different. He expressed a lack of belief in the team’s ability to come back when they fell behind. Despite the struggles, he finished strong with a shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, marking his sixth shutout of the season. He now has 21 shutouts in his career, placing him eighth on the franchise’s all-time list.
This season was challenging for Shesterkin, who ended with a record of 27 wins, 29 losses, and 5 overtime losses. His goals-against average reached a career-high of 2.89, while his save percentage dropped to a career-low of .905.
Defenseman Calvin de Haan also shared his perspective, emphasizing the team’s talent on paper and the expectation to make the playoffs. He highlighted Shesterkin as the team’s standout player, stating, “He’s probably the best player on the team. F–k, he’s good.” De Haan expressed disappointment that the team did not capitalize on Shesterkin’s strong performances, noting the importance of having solid goaltending.
As the Rangers look ahead to the offseason, they will need to address the issues that led to their disappointing season and work on rebuilding confidence and team dynamics.