Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin selected as team's MVP
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin during the second period of an NHL gameagainst the Senators at Madison Square Garden on April 9. Credit: Noah K. Murray
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin was chosen by the local media as the Rangers’ Most Valuable Player for the 2021-22 season, the team announced Friday.
Defenseman Jacob Trouba and forward Barclay Goodrow were named co-winners of the Player’s Player Award, voted on by the players, and forward Ryan Strome was voted by the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association as the team’s Good Guy, in recognition of his willingness to cooperate with the media.
“The awards are great, and those guys all deserve them,’’ coach Gerard Gallant said after Friday’s morning skate before the Rangers faced the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden in the final game of the regular season. “But really, I look at my group of players this year, and . . . a lot of guys could have won those awards. There’s a lot of good people on our team and a lot of guys maybe had career years.’’
Shesterkin, who did not start Friday, began the night with the best goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.935) in the NHL. He finished with a 36-13-4 record, and his six shutouts were third in the league.
“His body of work speaks for itself,’’ Trouba said. “He’s had a pretty historic season. He’s a guy that we’ve relied on a lot this year and he’s showed up for us every game. So, very well deserved, and I don’t think you’ll find a guy in our room who will say something different.’’
Blue shorts
D K’Andre Miller was the only Ranger to play in all 82 games . . . D Zac Jones was returned to AHL Hartford . . . With Artemi Panarin and Andrew Copp out with injuries, forwards Greg McKegg, Julien Gauthier and Ds Libor Hajek and Justin Braun were scratched.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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