NHL Awards: Igor Shesterkin Wins Vezina Trophy as Top Goalie of 2021-22 Season
Anyone reading this blog or following the New York Rangers knew that Igor Shesterkin was far and away the best goalie in the NHL this season, and now he has the hardware to officially prove it.
1⃣- GOR 👏 👏
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 21, 2022
Congratulations on your first Vezina Trophy, Shesty! pic.twitter.com/XbawJxtbdp
Shesterkin was named the winner of the Vezina Trophy at tonight’s NHL Awards ceremony, and voting shows that it wasn’t even close.
The @NYRangers netminder was a near-unanimous choice, receiving the first-place vote on 29 of the 32 ballots from @ThePHWA and the second-place selection on the three other ballots for 154 voting points. #NHLAwards #NHLStats: https://t.co/E9pThiCPCs pic.twitter.com/o3GlS9OPXW
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 21, 2022
The Rangers’ netminder picked up 29 first place votes, 3 second place votes, and 154 points in total to finish ahead of runners up Jacob Markstrom and Juuse Saros.
Shesterkin had a season for the ages which includes a sensational 42.48 goals saved above average, and a 37.24 goals saved above expected per Evolving Hockey. He also posted a record of 36-13-4 with a 2.07 goals against average, a .935 save percentage and six shutouts.
Playoff performance isn’t factored into Vezina voting, but it was important to see that Shesterkin’s excellence wasn’t a flash in the pan as he posted a 11.82 goals saved above average, and a 23.21 goals saved above expected as well.
This is a great honor for Shesterkin, and one that is well deserved. Now we will sit and wait to see how things turn out for the Hart Trophy, another award that Shesterkin is nominated for and should win. He faces stiff competition there, but the nomination alone speaks to the dominance displayed this season.