IGORRRRRRR

I don't devote entire posts to certain TTM returns even though I probably should since they've slowed to a trickle in recent times. But ever since I switched to a weekly monthly format, these TTM posts focused on one particular return have since turned into a brand called, "holy fuck is this special". 

And boy is today's return special indeed.
Igor Olegovich Shestyorkin (or sometimes spelt Shesterkin) is a goaltender from Russia. He is also one of the Rangers' top prospects at this very moment.

Shestyorkin was drafted by the New York Rangers in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Player Draft. He then spent the next five seasons playing in the Russian KHL as a member of the SKA St. Petersburg. During which he went from a very promising goaltender to a brick fucking wall for one of the most dominant teams in the KHL.

In Goal Magazine's Greg Balloch described Shestyorkin's approach as mature and as a safe bet to transition well to the North American game (at least in context when stacked up against Islanders prospect Ilya Sorokin). The whole piece is great because it breaks down Shestyorkin (and Sorokin)'s game down to a very thorough and easy to understand level. Such as how Shestyorkin ties to go as low as he can and cover as much of the net as he can with his pads. Among other keen observations from someone who writes for a website that focuses on the craft we call goaltending.

For a while it wasn't clear when Shestyorkin was going to arrive in North America but then again the Rangers have King Henrik Lundqvist so it wasn't going to matter. It does matter now because exactly how much long Lundqvist stays around is a question mark. Whether or not Shestyorkin is his successor is the big question on everyone's mind.

IGOR SHESTYORKIN ARE YOU KIDDING ME. #NYR pic.twitter.com/B63MNJkWW1

— Alex Nunn (@aj_ranger) April 1, 2019

More Shestyorkin theatrics, this time on a save from a pass across the slot. pic.twitter.com/4K7orTBxIV

— Adam Herman (@AdamZHerman) April 1, 2019

Whether in the AHL or KHL, Shestyorkin has done nothing to really show that he's not a promising goalie in the making. This season he's playing in Hartford and getting adjusted to the North American version of hockey. The early reports on his performance in Hartford are very positive. Hartford overall is a lot more structured and better this season, but Shestyorkin's performance is a big boost no doubt.

Shestyorkin leads all AHL goalies with a 1.18 GAA and sits second in save percentage at .955 too. He's given up just six goals through five games. Like I said... it's not SKA. #NYR

— Alex Nunn (@aj_ranger) October 27, 2019

How will Shestyorkin affect the goaltending picture come the 2020-21 season? That's anybody's guess. It depends on three independent variables. What Lundqvist wants to do, how Alexandar Georgiev fares with more time and looks, and how Shestyorkin and press the issue going forward. Too many interesting goaltenders, this is a great problem to have.

One last note on the letter itself. Please know that I took the time to write the request letter in Russian. Why? Honestly I've long thought that I should put in more effort myself in my letters. And what better way than by writing it in the players' native tongue. Next year I'm going to do it with Spanish. Fingers crossed that that's what helps me get some notoriously tough signer somehow lol.

Anyway that was my latest special TTM as Shestyorkin joins a tier occupied by the likes of another fellow (then) top Rangers prospect Filip Chytil, an NPB hall of famer in Shigeru Sugishita, and a future basketball hall of famer in Vince Carter.

Best of luck to Igor going forward. I like Georgiev just fine and Hank's a legend, but I like Igor a little bit more now.

As always for stopping by and take care :).

Sources:
*http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=173069
*https://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2019/3/1/18229921/igor-shestyorkin-henrik-lundqvist-benoit-allaire-new-york-rangers-prospects
*https://ingoalmag.com/features/sorokin-vs-shestyorkin-style-comparison/
*https://twitter.com/aj_ranger
*https://twitter.com/AdamZHerman