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EspañolPrior to the New York Rangers‘ return from the Olympic break, Igor Shesterkin had not played since Jan. 5.
In his absence, the Rangers took a nosedive in the standings, entered into a self-proclaimed “retool,” and traded away their top player in Artemi Panarin.
Now, as the trade deadline approaches and more moves are bound to come from the Rangers front office, Shesterkin provided some comments as the dust begins to settle on the trade of his teammate.
“He’s one of the best players in the league,” Shesterkin told reporters on Saturday. “Of course, it’s pretty tough for us to lose a player of that calibre. I hope he enjoys the trade and wish him all the best.
“It’s time for young players to develop.”
Panarin was traded on Feb. 5 in exchange for a prospect and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2026, a move that appeared triggered by an open letter to fans released by general manager Chris Drury declaring that the team would retool.
“With our position in the standings and injuries to key players this season, we must be honest and realistic about our situation,” Drury wrote at the time. “We are not going to stand pat — a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team.
“This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects.”
The Rangers currently sit dead last in the Eastern Conference with a 23-29-7 record, and they also traded away defenceman Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders.
When asked about what the vibe has been around the team following the letter, Shesterkin replied that he was “focused on my game.”
“I just play a game at a time, and that’s it,” he continued. “Honestly, I didn’t read the letter because I don’t speak English.”
Despite his team’s turmoil, Shesterkin has been enjoying a bounce-back season after a disappointing 2024-25. In 36 games, the 30-year-old has a .913 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average.
Throughout his seven-year tenure with the Rangers, Shesterkin has collected two all-star nods, a Vezina Trophy and was named a Hart Trophy finalist in 2022.
