GOTTA SEE IT: NY Islanders Sorokin and NY Rangers Shesterkin share unorthodox training routine

What does it take to be an elite NHL goaltender?

It takes talent, it takes determination, it takes will. For New York Islanders Ilya Sorokin and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers, it also takes doing things their peers wouldn't and that includes pushing a SUV from behind in an empty parking lot.

If you need a big save or roadside assistance, these are the guys to call. The Blueshirts' goaltender shared the unorthodox training video to his Instagram stories on Sunday afternoon.

It should come as no surprise that the two elite Russian-born goaltenders are spending time with each other over the summer, though building strength by self-towing a vehicle is a bit unexpected. Sorokin and Shesterkin played on the same junior team in Russia when they were just 16 years old and remained close as each pursued success in North America. This past February, they were teammates again, this time on the Metropolitan Division All-Star team.

From their accounts, they text each other frequently and mostly not about hockey. Over the holidays, Sorokin and Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov spent Christmas at Shesterkin's house. During the All-Star break, we learned that Sorokin is godfather to Shesterkin's son.

Shesterkin came to the NHL a year earlier than Sorokin and ascended to stardom during the 2021-22 season when he captured the Vezina Trophy, posting a 36-13-4 record in 53 games and leading the NHL in GAA (2.07) and save percentage. Meanwhile, Sorokin finished sixth, as he took over as the team's No. 1 goaltender ahead of Semyon Varlamov.

This past season, it was Sorokin with the better campaign, finishing as runner-up for the Vezina to Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins. The 2014 third-round pick finished sixth in the league with a 2.34 goals against average (GAA) and was third with a .924 save percentage. He also had a league-best six shutouts after recording seven the previous season.

The pair have a ton in common and Shesterkin hopes that trend continues after Sorokin signed an eight-year extension worth $66 million that starts after next seaosn. The Rangers goalie, a 2014 fourth round pick, has two years remaining on the four year, $22.66M contract he signed with the team in 2021.