Wendell Cruz-Imagn ImagesChris Drury’s Jan. 16 letter outlining the New York Rangers’ plan to retool the roster doesn't seem to bother Igor Shesterkin all that much.
In Shesterkin’s second game back from his stint on injured reserve, he helped propel the Rangers to a 3-2 comeback win over the Pittsburgh Penguins as Mike Sullivan proclaimed him as the “best goalie in the game.”
However, most of the questions directed at Shesterkin after his 31-save performance revolved around the direction of the Rangers since he was on injured reserve when Drury’s letter was issued, and unable to speak with the media.
Shesterkin brushed off the topic of the letter in a somewhat sarcastic way, while emphasizing that his focus is on the present.
“I'm focused on my game. I just play a game at a time, and that's it,” Shesterkin said. “Honestly, I didn't read the letter, because I don't speak English.”
Contrary to his thoughts on the letter, Shesterkin did open up in more detail regarding the absence of Artemi Panarin.
The Rangers traded Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings prior to the Olympic break, marking the team’s first substantial move of the retool.
Shesterkin spoke highly of his former Russian teammate while also projecting what the future will look like for the Blueshirts in terms of the importance of development.
“He's one of the best players in the league,” Shesterkin said of Panarin. “Of course, it's pretty tough for us to lose a player of that caliber. I hope he enjoys the trade. We wish him all the best. I think it's time for young players to develop pretty well right now.”
Shesterkin signed an eight-year, $92 million contract extension with the Rangers during the 2024-25 season. Shesterkin holds a full no-move clause in his current contract.