Igor Shesterkin has the chance to do something no NHL goalie has done in 15 years.
However, winning the Vezina Trophy for the second consecutive season isn't the award the New York Rangers star is focusing on.
"All I want right now is the Stanley Cup with the Rangers," Shesterkin said. "If I have a chance to get one more Vezina it will be fine, but our goal is the Stanley Cup, and it doesn't matter what happens to get there."
The Rangers are contenders to win the Cup for the first time since 1994 in large part because of Shesterkin, who is NHL.com's preseason favorite to win the Vezina.
"It's a great thing to have this guy in the pipes, and we expect the same type of goaltending from him this year," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said.
The last time a goalie was voted the Vezina Trophy winner in consecutive seasons was Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils in 2007 and 2008. He also won it in consecutive seasons in 2003 and 2004
Shesterkin received 63 points, including eight first-place votes, from NHL.com's 15-member panel. Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning was second with 44 points (two first-place votes), followed by Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators with 32 (two first-place votes). Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars and Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders each received one first-place vote.
Last season, Shesterkin was 36-13-4, led the NHL with a 2.07 goals-against average (minimum 30 games), and his .935 save percentage was the best among goalies to play at least 30 games in a season since 2011-12. He also had six shutouts and allowed two goals or fewer in 32 of his 52 starts.
Along with winning the Vezina, Shesterkin finished third in voting for the Hart Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL's most valuable player in the regular season. He was the first goalie to be a finalist for that award since Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017.
"If you ask anyone in our [dressing] room, he's been our backbone all year," Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba said last season. "Special season, and he deserves all the accolades that are coming his way."
Still, Shesterkin is out to show that what he accomplished last season, his second as Rangers starter, wasn't a one-off.
"What happened last season stays in last season," he said. "Right now, I need to show everybody it's not a mistake my last season. I just want to play much better and better."
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis):Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers, 63 points (8 first-place votes); Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning, 44 (2); Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators, 32 (2); Jacob Markstrom, Calgary Flames, 25; Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks, 15 (1); Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes, 15; Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars, 10 (1); Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers, 2; Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2; Alexandar Georgiev, Colorado Avalanche, 1; Darcy Kuemper, Washington Capitals, 1.
NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen and NHL.com staff writer David Satriano contributed to this report
