Only once in NHL history has there been a goalie goal in three consecutive seasons. Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers might be planning on making sure that record gets tied in 2024-25.
One of the best puckhandlers among all NHL goalies, Shesterkin was showing off his long-distance shooting skills at a recent master class held in Russia. Though, truthfully, we’ve seen the Rangers netminder actually do better during actual games shooting at an open net at the other end of the rink, there’s no doubt he was having fun with the youth goalies attending the camp.
The master class took place in Cherepovets and was led by Shesterkin and his former Rangers teammate Pavel Buchnevich.
In another video from earlier, Shesterkin was asked about scoring a goal.
“Well, I’ll start doing that in October,” Shesterkin said with a laugh, pointing towards the start of the NHL season.
If Shesterkin — or any other NHL goalie — scores a goal in 2024-25, it would mark the third consecutive season a goalie goal was scored. Tristan Jarry scored for the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 4-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 30 last season. That followed a goal by Linus Ullmark, then with the Boston Bruins, the season before against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 25, 2023.
The only other time in NHL history a goalie goal was scored in three consecutive seasons was from the 2011-12 season through the 2013-14 season. However, the first two of those goals — by Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward on Dec. 26, 2011 and Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils on March 21, 2013 — were own goals knocked in by the opposing team. The third of those goals was shot into an empty net by Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes on Oct. 19, 2013.
Rangers, Igor Shesterkin still need to work out new contract before next summer
There’s no doubt that Shesterkin has both the ability and the desire to score a goalie goal. Many times in his first five NHL seasons, the 28-year-old has lined things up and let fly at an open net. And many believe he’s got as good a chance as any current NHL goalie to one day score a goal.
No Rangers goalie has ever scored a goal. Nor have the Blueshirts ever allowed one.
