Igor Shesterkin continues to prove that the road to the NHL is not easy even for a prized prospect.
Speaking with Alexei Shevchenko of Sport Express, Shesterkin described some of the things he has had to endure to adjust to during the season as he seeks to remain in the Rangers' plans for the immediate future.
He's had to train harder than ever before, including putting in extra hours in the gym and going on a diet. The Rangers didn't tell him to his face that he needed to be in better shape, but he read between the lines. "They gave me a list of everyone on the team, by weight and body fat percentage," Shesterkin recalled. "I thought I was ok, but then I saw that I had one of the higher body fat percentages. And they told me I should have one of the lowest. They told me I could play with my weight, but I started feeling bad. And I really started taking care of myself. I wouldn't say it was a harsh diet. I was never into fast food anyways. It was mostly about smaller portions and eating less sweets."
When asked if he had completely excluded sweets from his diet, Shesterkin said that he wants to be a happy person and therefore hasn't gone that far.
His transition from Hartford to the Rangers came with some nerve wracking moments. When he first ran the gauntlet of reporters and cameras on the way to the Rangers locker room, he said that he was so nervous that he felt his legs getting weak. When he poured himself water, he couldn't drink because his hands were shaking. "I think with experience, I'll be calmer," said Shesterkin. "I played two games, but serenity is something I'll probably feel after 40-60 games. The AHL was less stressful."
The one difference that fans may have noticed already is Shesterkin's ability to handle the puck, something that Henrik Lundqvist never quite mastered. Shesterkin confirmed that this is a skill he believes to be vital to his success.
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For now, Shesterkin is living in a hotel due to the uncertain nature of his situation with the Rangers. But he has already asked around about renting an apartment. Despite being born in and living in Russia's most expensive real estate market (Moscow), he was shocked by the numbers that he saw. "The amounts I was quoted, in St. Petersburg you can rent a whole floor of an elite home," Shesterkin said. "In Moscow, maybe half a floor."
In general, Shesterkin paints a picture of a player who came to the U.S. ready to go all-in on his NHL journey. Just like Vitali Kravtsov, he had a clause in his contract that would allow him to return to Russia rather than spend time in the AHL, but he never considered using it. When asked about Kravtsov, Shesterkin said that he is not fully privy to his countryman's situation, but has noticed that Kravtsov has worked harder at Hartford since his return.
Source: Sport-Express.ru
