Although his career is still in its early stages, Igor Shesterkin has given collectors a lot of highlights and reasons to chase his cards. Here’s a look at nine cards that help showcase the goaltender’s journey to the NHL and some of his top early moments.
2014-15 Russian SeRea Igor Shesterkinl #SKA-003
Shesterkin first appeared on a memorabilia-enhanced draft card two years earlier, but this was his first base card with St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL. It lacks the bells and whistles of a major North American RC, but it’s still a great-looking single.
2018 Russian SeReal KHL Champions Igor Shesterkin #CUP-035
This card commemorates Shesterkin’s role in St. Petersburg’s Gagarin Cup win in 2018. Interesting to see him wearing the old-school Leningrad jersey, representing the Soviet-era name of the city, in the photo.
2019-20 Upper Deck AHL Impact Igor Shesterkin #I-6
Before he made his mark in the NHL, Shesterkin put in a stretch with AHL Hartford. He made 25 appearances in the minors, going 15-4-3, and was named to the AHL All-Star Classic. This was one of two cards he earned in this UD set, both of which had tough autographed parallels.
2019-20 The Cup Igor Shesterkin #111
This is the card every devoted Shesterkin collector dreams of owning. It’s a straightforward design that showcases his Cyrillic autograph above an oversized patch swatch. The nature of New York’s jersey patches makes it easier than usual to grab a three-color swatch like this one.
2019-20 SP Authentic Igor Shesterkin #251
If owning his RC from The Cup comes second to paying the mortgage, his SPA is an appealing alternative. The card is numbered to 999 and features a hard-signed autograph. Grab one of the first 50 copies and you’ll get a 1/7/2020 inscription to commemorate his NHL debut – a 29-save 5-3 win over Colorado.
2020-21 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Green Igor Shesterkin #57
Shesterkin earned a slew of short-printed inserts and parallels in his second season, but none have the enduring popularity of this card. The Red version was limited to 100 copies and the Gold to 1, leaving this Green single in the sweet spot of 10.
2021-22 Upper Deck Game Dated Moments Igor Shesterkin #AW-IS
Shesterkin posted career-best numbers in 2021-22, leading the league in both save percentage (.935) and goals-against average (2.07) on his way to claiming his first Vezina Trophy. This single was available only as a redemption for those who completed the playoffs GDM set, making it a tough find.
2022-23 Black Diamond Diamond Relics Pure Black Igor Shesterkin #BDB-IS
Every collector dreams of pulling a 1/1 of their favorite player, and this is one of his most visually appealing singles from a high-end product. There’s also an autographed version of this 1/1, but we’ve yet to see it offered for sale…perhaps not too surprising.
2023-24 Upper Deck Swagnificent Igor Shesterkin #371
Looks like Shesty picked up some fashion tips from his old crease partner Henrik Lundqvist. Igor was one of 16 players featured in this unannounced Easter Egg base set variation that featured some of the league’s best-dressed players. Odds weren’t revealed, but this single is plenty tough.
