Igor Shesterkin ranked top NHL goalie for third consecutive year

Igor Shesterkin has been ranked as the number one goaltender in the world for the third consecutive year by The Athletic. A panel of eight coaches and two former goaltenders selected the New York Rangers star as the top choice, making him the only goalie to receive unanimous Tier 1 votes for three straight seasons.

Despite the Rangers missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the 2025-26 season, Shesterkin maintained elite statistics, finishing in the top five among NHL goaltenders in save percentage (.912) and goals saved above average (21.09). He remains ahead of other top-rated goaltenders, including Andrei Vasilevskiy and Ilya Sorokin.

In recent action, Shesterkin faced significant defensive challenges during a 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins. Despite the team's struggles with defensive structure and turnovers that led to multiple odd-man rushes, Shesterkin recorded 20 saves on 22 shots.