Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. Congratulations to CZAR IGOR, your 2023 Frank Boucher Trophy winner!
For those who are unfamiliar with the Frank Boucher Trophy, I’m going to share an excerpt of my book, “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden” with you below.
(If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, then you can buy it here: Amazon.com ).
Once explaining this prestigious trophy, I’ll then get into CZAR IGOR’s 2023 victory.
In 1952, the official fan club of the New York Rangers (when fan clubs had more power and influence than they do today), created the “Frank Boucher Fan Club Trophy,” which was a trophy that honored the most popular Ranger every year.
At the time, Frank Boucher, then the club’s general manager; “The Original Ranger” was also the longest-tenured employee of the franchise, having previously won two Stanley Cups (1928 and 1933) as a player and another, his third, as the team’s head coach (1940).
The trophy would last until 2010, upon the dissolution of the fan club due to the age of the internet.
In 2020, I decided to bring back the Frank Boucher Fan Trophy, with permission from both Boucher’s granddaughter, Frankie Baird, and one of the presidents from the former fan club.
To fill-in the missing years (2011-2020), I went back and analyzed each season in order to determine who would’ve won the trophy had the fan club still been around and/or voting had been available.
During the pandemic-plagued 2020-21 season, I came up with my own winner.
Beginning with the 2021-22 season, and now an annual tradition on this site – I’ve opened voting for the trophy, where every site reader has a say – the right thing to do.
After all, both the history and the spirit of the award is rooted with the fans, which means that every Blueshirt backer should have their voice heard – rather than one person’s voice speaking the loudest.
Keep in mind, this trophy is pretty much the Rangers’ equivalent of a high-school class presidency race – as it’s a pure popularity contest.
As I did when filling in the missing years, here’s the criteria that I use whenever I put my vote in, and criteria that I suggested to all readers/voters in 2023:
— Fan reaction
— Jersey sales
— Worth of a player’s autograph
— Community service/charity work
— Bond with fans
— The featured face of Rangers marketing/advertising
—- Player ability/amount of times featured as one of the “three stars of the game.”
Here are all of the winners of this prestigious trophy, including when the fan club used to determine the winner, “the missing years,” and how this site’s readership have voted too:
1951–52 Don Raleigh
1952–53 Wally Hergesheimer
1953–54 Johnny Bower
1954–55 Edgar Laprade
1955–56 Gump Worsley
1956–57 Andy Bathgate
1957–58 Andy Bathgate
1958–59 Andy Bathgate
1959–60 Dean Prentice
1960–61 Gump Worsley
1961–62 Andy Bathgate
1962–63 Gump Worsley
1963–64 Rod Gilbert
1964–65 Harry Howell
1965–66 Harry Howell
1966–67 Harry Howell
1967–68 Rod Gilbert
1968–69 Eddie Giacomin
1969–70 Walt Tkaczuk
1970–71 Dave Balon
1971–72 Jean Ratelle
1972–73 Jean Ratelle
1973–74 Brad Park
1974–75 Rod Gilbert
1975–76 Rod Gilbert
1976–77 Rod Gilbert
1977–78 Pat Hickey
1978–79 Phil Esposito
1979–80 Phil Esposito
1980–81 Ed Johnstone
1981–82 Nick Fotiu
1982–83 Mark Pavelich
1983–84 Barry Beck and Nick Fotiu
1984–85 Anders Hedberg and Mike Rogers
1985–86 John Vanbiesbrouck
1986–87 Walt Poddubny
1987–88 Walt Poddubny
1988–89 Guy Lafleur
1989–90 Brian Mullen
1990–91 Mike Richter
1991–92 Mark Messier
1992–93 Mike Gartner
1993–94 Adam Graves
1994–95 Mark Messier
1995–96 Mark Messier
1996–97 Mark Messier
1997–98 Wayne Gretzky
1998–99 Mike Richter
1999–00 Mike Richter
2000–01 Brian Leetch
2001–02 Mike Richter
2002–03 Mike Dunham
2003–04 Eric Lindros
2005–06 Jaromir Jagr
2006–07 Henrik Lundqvist
2007–08 Sean Avery
2008–09 Blair Betts
2009–10 Henrik Lundqvist
2010-11 Henrik Lundqvist
2011-12 Henrik Lundqvist
2012-13 Henrik Lundqvist
2012-13 Henrik Lundqvist
2013-14 Henrik Lundqvist
2014-15 Mats Zuccarello
2015-16 Mats Zuccarello
2016-17 Mats Zuccarello
2017-18 Mats Zuccarello & Henrik Lundqvist
2018-19 Mika Zibanejad
2019-20 Artemi Panarin
2020-21 Adam Fox
2021-22 Igor Shesterkin & Chris Kreider
As you can see, prior to 2023, there have been twelve players to have won the Frank Boucher Trophy more than once, including Worsley, Bathgate, Gilbert, Howell, Ratelle, Esposito, Fotiu, Poddubny, Richter, Messier, Lundqvist and Zuccarello.
With CZAR IGOR’s 2023 win, there are now thirteen men that have won this trophy on multiple occasions.
Lundqvist, with eight wins, has won this trophy more than anyone else. Gilbert has won the trophy five times, while Bathgate, Messier, Richter and Zuccarello have each won the hardware four times.
Furthermore, with this win, CZAR IGOR now joins Worsley, Richter and Lundqvist as the only goalies to have won this trophy two or more times.
This year, I received 514 votes for the 2023 Frank Boucher Trophy winner.
The final voting results broke down as such:
Igor Shestyorkin – 445 (86.5%)
Jacob Trouba: 35 (6.8%)
Mika Zibanejad: 17 (3.3%)
Ryan Lindgren: 8 (1.5%)
Chris Kreider: 4 (.7%)
Adam Fox: 3 (.5%)
Artemi Panarin: 2 (.3%)
In the effort of full disclosure, I was also one of the 445 fans who voted for CZAR IGOR.
When I finished tabulating the voting, I thought the results were a fair representation of who should have won.
In my eyes, there’s no one more popular on the Rangers right now than CZAR IGOR.
After all, what other Ranger hears his first name belted out by the Garden Faithful on a daily basis like #31 in blue?
While I didn’t expect a 100% (unanimous) vote for any one player; I also thought that the runner-ups were accurately accounted for.
Perhaps you could make the case that both team captain, Jacob Trouba, and maybe the 2022-23 team MVP, Mika Zibanejad, could’ve received more votes – but at the end of the day – neither are as popular as CZAR IGOR, fresh off of his 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winning campaign.
I will say, I don’t think that the Ryan Lindgren voters understood what this trophy was all about, but I do understand the “unsung hero” aspect of their vote.
In my eyes, Lindgren is more suited for the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award rather than this trophy, one that’s a pure popularity contest.
Funny enough, the other players who received votes, Kreider, Fox and Panarin, are previous winners of this trophy, but despite their popularity – I think that due to the emergence of CZAR IGOR, combined with the fact that historically, Ranger fans love their goaltenders (and the Vezina win didn’t hurt either) – it’s the Russian who is now the face of the franchise.
And to be completely transparent with you – I also received two votes for Vitali Kravtsov – two jokers whose votes I used my “judicial powers” to disqualify!
At this time, let’s talk about the 2023 Frank Boucher Trophy winner, Igor Shesterkin.
The 2022-23 Frank Boucher Trophy Winner: IGOR SHESTYORKIN
CZAR IGOR, who entered the 2022-23 campaign as the best goaltender in the league as a result of his 2022 Vezina Trophy win, struggled out the gate this season.
While his numbers were never truly “bad” or anything like that – they also paled in comparison to what he had accomplished the year before.
As many said at the time – CZAR IGOR had great numbers – but they weren’t numbers befitting of him – which only tells you the expectations that the Russian netminder has already created during his relatively short stay in the show.
(After all, his Vezina Trophy winning season was only his first 82-game campaign in the NHL.)
Fast-forward to the second-half of this season – CZAR IGOR remains as one of the best goalies in the league today.
Through eighty games that the Rangers have played, CZAR IGOR’s 37 wins are good for third-best in the league, and also two shy of Linus Ullmark, who is most likely to win the Vezina Trophy in 2023.
CZAR IGOR’s .915 save percentage is currently ranked 11th overall in the league, but with one or two games left to be played among all starting goaltenders, #31 could easily jump much higher than that, as presently, there are five goalies above him with save percentages of .919 or less.
Similarly, CZAR IGOR’s 2.49 GAA ranks him 10th overall in the league, and where he could finish better than that too (Frederik Andersen, at 7th overall, has a 2.41 GAA).
But it’s not just about the numbers for CZAR IGOR, nor what the rest of the league is doing either.
Instead, the 2023 Frank Boucher Trophy honors the most popular Ranger – and “SUPER SHESTY” is definitely that.
Between the loud and echoing sounds of “I-GOR!”at games not only played at M$G, but on the road too; there’s no other Ranger that receives the adoration of fans as the goaltender does.
And while the NHL will wait until the end of the season to release their official jersey sales information; based on the eye-test – you’re seeing more “SHESTERKIN” jerseys on the backs of Ranger fans than any other jersey – which says a lot – considering the All-Star and “video game” line-up that the Blueshirts currently possess.
Furthermore, and to illustrate his popularity, CZAR IGOR’s face is always on all Ranger marketing materials and is usually the first name brought up by fans, broadcasters and league-pundits whenever discussing the Blueshirts.
As opposed to last season, there are more “name-brand” players on the Rangers this time around, including a cavalcade of All-Stars, future Hall of Famers and year-end league trophy winners, such as Artemi Panarin, Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox and Chris Kreider.
Of course, CZAR IGOR is also an All-Star and a year-end league trophy winner himself. And who knows – maybe he’ll become a Hall of Famer one day too.
Despite a bevy of competition, it’s CZAR IGOR that’s considered as the backbone of the team, and arguably, is also the best player at his position.
When I look at the history of this Frank Boucher Trophy, there have been many years where there wasn’t that much competition and where it was a clear-cut decision who would win, where Fox’s 2021 win is the most recent example.
The fact that CZAR IGOR dominated the voting this year, despite all of the talent and big names that the Rangers have, speaks volumes.
Congratulations to Igor Shesterkin, this year’s Frank Boucher Trophy winner.
I will be back later tonight with a Rangers/Sabres GAME REVIEW.
I just wanted to post this blog entry separately, mainly for posterity.
See you later, but until then – LGR!
PLUGS TIME!
My first plug of tonight’s blog – the mandatory plug for my book, “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden.”
As mentioned previously, the book is now available in hardcover, in paperback and in Kindle formats. To purchase a copy of the book, visit this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Rangers-Rafters-Madison-Square-Garden-ebook/dp/B09CM5N2WD
For those still looking for signed paperback versions of the book, I have re-ordered more copies. I now have a few signed copies for sale at $25 a pop (includes shipping price) through me directly. Here is all the information on that:
Order “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden” Book Today
My four-volume set of books, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is a game-by-game recount of the Rangers 2021-22 campaign.
My second title as an author, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is now available in eBook, paperback and hardcover formats.
To obtain signed copies, visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/onegamebook/
To purchase all four volumes on Amazon, visit: Amazon.com – “One Game at a Time.”
The greatest volume-set of books on Rangers’ history today!
“Tricks of the Trade – A Century-Long Journey Through Every Trade Made In New York Rangers’ History,” a four-volume set of books that meticulously covers every trade made in franchise history, is now on sale.
All four volumes of the title can be purchased on Amazon.com and are presented in three different formats – eBook, paperback and hardcover.
To purchase Volume I: Conn Smythe (1926) – Craig Patrick (1986), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume II: Phil Esposito (1986) – Neil Smith (2000), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume III: Glen Sather (2000-2015), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume IV: Jeff Gorton (2015) – Chris Drury (2022), visit Amazon.com
To purchase signed copies of all four volumes, visit https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
Here are my last few blogs, in case you missed them:
NYR/CBJ 4/8 Review: Unselfish (And Playoff Line-Up) Rangers Win By The Best Possible Score Imaginable; Easily Dispose Themselves of the Blue Jackets, Sam & Joe Call Their Greatest Game Too, Kane Returns, MILLER MANTIS, BFF’s Flirting with Forty, Standings, “TURK TALKS” & More
NYR/STL 4/6 Review: Road-Weary Rangers Steal a Point; Tarasenko’s Homecoming a Major Success; Class Act Blues, Special Teams Swing Games; Blueshirts Bat 3-3, Trouba A-Okay; Laughs at Joke Schedule, Standings, Fox Fined, “TURK TALKS” & More
NYR/TBL 4/5 Review: BIG BAD BEN and Blueshirts Double-Up & Demolish Bolts; Most Action-Packed Game Yet, Ultimate Team-Wide Effort, APPLE SAUCE Galore, Trouba Named “Mr. Ranger,” Leaves Game w/Injury; Kane Out Too, An ECF Rematch We All Want, “TURK TALKS,” Boucher Trophy, TNT/Lundqvist & More
If you haven’t already, subscribe to this blog for the next update:
Don’t forget to order my recently released four-volume set of books, “Tricks of the Trade!”
If you don’t order through me, all four volumes are now available on Amazon.com
For more details, check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
Thanks for reading.
LET’S GO RANGERS!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the Tweeter machine
