Igor Shesterkin honors New York Rangers legend Mike Richter with goalie mask

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin has turned back the clock. In tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Shesterkin decided to pay tribute to the Rangers legend, with a design reminiscent of Mike Richter. Aside from Henrik Lundqvist, Mike Richter is perhaps the best goaltender in the history of the franchise.

Igor Shesterkin pays tribute to Mike Richter in New York Rangers mask. How do their careers compare?

As two of the greatest goaltenders to ever suit up for the New York Rangers, Mike Richter and Igor Shesterkin have left their mark on the franchise in different ways. Richter, a three-time NHL All-Star, played for the New York Rangers for the entirety of his 14-year career and backstopped the team to their first Stanley Cup victory in 54 years in 1994. Shesterkin, meanwhile, is beginning his career with the Rangers but has already shown flashes of greatness in his first two seasons in the league.

Mike Richter played for the Rangers from 1989 to 2003, appearing in 666 regular-season games, and recording a 301-258-73 record. He ranks second in franchise history in wins and shutouts (24), and third in games played. Richter was named to three NHL All-Star teams and won the Lester B. Pearson Award (now known as the Ted Lindsay Award) in 1994 as the league's most outstanding player, as voted by his peers.

Richter's greatest achievement came in the 1994 postseason, when he backstopped the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup championship since 1940. Richter was named the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs, and his iconic save on Vancouver Canucks forward Pavel Bure in Game 4 of the Finals has become one of the most memorable moments in the Rangers' history.

Igor Shesterkin, meanwhile, has played 69 regular-season games for the New York Rangers over the past two seasons, but has already established himself as one of the best young goaltenders in the league. Shesterkin burst onto the scene in the 2019-20 season, winning his first nine starts, and finishing with a 10-2-0 record, a 2.52 goals-against average (GAA), and a .932 save percentage (SV%).

Last season, Shesterkin’s .935 save percentage and playoff success were enough to claim the season’s Vezina trophy. Shesterkin's impressive start to his career has drawn comparisons to Richter and other great New York Rangers goalies, and has given Rangers fans hope for the future.

In terms of statistics, Shesterkin has the edge over Richter in both GAA (2.41 vs. 2.91) and SV% (.923 vs. .904), although it's worth noting that Richter played in an era with higher-scoring games and fewer shutouts. Richter, meanwhile, has the edge in wins and shutouts, and of course has the Stanley Cup championship on his resume.