Can Igor Shesterkin Shed The Benny Allaire Shadow?

It was a small item in last fall's Hockey News Yearbook (Rangers' Section.) Author Steve Zipay noted that longtime Blueshirts' Goaltending Director Benoit (Benny) Allaire was retiring.

There was no further comment in the piece but had The Maven been writing it, I would have added, "This could have a negative effect on Igor Shesterkin."

And if you're wondering why, here's why: Benny Allaire was not your run-of-the-mill goalie guru, he merely was the best-of-the-very best.

"Allaire not only knew the science of puckstopping," said The Old Scout, "he had a special feel for his subjects and something else missing from most goalie coaches – a human-ness about the guy that made Benny feel like your favorite uncle."

This was evident when Benny began working with an unknown Swedish goalie who had been drafted 205th overall in 2000; a Rangers afterthought, you might say.

Allaire took this raw stopper in hand, crafting and cajoling the Lundqvist so that Henrik soon bumped Kevin Weekes off the No. 1 goaltending spot. An eventual Vezina Trophy and world acclaim eventually would come King Henrik's way.

All because of Benny Allaire who was at Henny's side for 15 years.

"Without Allaire there last season," adds The Old Scout, "Shesterkin was not the same goalie he was with Benny's orchestration."

Was it it the disintegrating Rangers team that led to Shesty's weak season or was it, in fact, the absence of Benoit Allaire as his goalkeeping shrink?

We'll find out sometime around March – depending upon whether the Blueshirts bounce into the playoffs or not!