New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin has been named a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, the award presented annually "to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team." The winners of the 2022 NHL Awards will be revealed during the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final, with exact dates, format and times to be announced.
Shesterkin, 26, is the second Ranger in the past three seasons to be named a finalist for the Hart Trophy (Artemi Panarin - 2019-20) and fifth Rangers goaltender in team history to be named a finalist for the award. The most recent before Shesterkin was Henrik Lundqvist in 2011-12. Eight times has an NHL goaltender won the Hart Trophy, the last being Montreal's Carey Price in 2014-15. Since the award was first presented in 1923-24, four Rangers have won it (Mark Messier - 1991-92, Andy Bathgate - 1958-59, Chuck Rayner - 1949-50, Buddy O'Connor - 1947-48) with Rayner being the only goaltender.
The Moscow, Russia native posted historic numbers in 2021-22, becoming the third goaltender in NHL history (min. 50 appearance) to post a save percentage of .935 or higher in a single season. He joined Tim Thomas (2010-11 - .938) and Dominik Hasek (1998-99 - .937) in reaching the feat. Shesterkin went 36-13-4 and led the league with a 2.07 goals-against-average and .935 save percentage. It is the 39th time, since the league began tracking save percentage in 1955-56, that a goaltender has led the NHL in both save percentage and GAA.
Igor Shesterkin Named Finalist for Hart Trophy
