What Igor Shesterkin’s Next Contract Might Look Like
Image Credit: NHL.com
Igor Shesterkin is arguably the best goalie in the NHL at the moment. With a .913 save percentage to go along with 4 shutouts and 36 wins last season, it’s easy to see why he’s regarded as such. He was also the engine that kept the New York Rangers running in last year’s playoffs, as he posted a .927 save percentage during his team’s run to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Despite the fact that Shersterkin is a world-class goaltender, he is making headlines this offseason for one reason only:
His upcoming contract.
Back in 2021, the now 28-year-old signed a four-year, $22.66 million contract with the Rangers. Since that time, Shesterkin has made leaps and bounds forward with how good he is between the pipes; even winning the Vezina Trophy after his 2021-2022 season.
Three years later, that contract looks like a bargain deal as Shesterkin in the 10th highest paid goalie in the NHL right now. The only downside to that is the fact that the contract expires after the upcoming 2024-2025 season, and New York’s goaltender is miles better than he was back in 2021.
According to multiple Rangers beat reporters, such as Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Shesterkin is demanding more money than New York is prepared to offer. His next deal would be anywhere between the $10.5 million to the $12 million annual salary mark, making him the highest paid goalie in NHL history.
So if he is arguably the best goaltender in the league, why wouldn’t Rangers General Manager, Chris Drury, want to pay him for his worth?
Well the simple answer is that the Rangers cap situation isn’t in the greatest spot at the moment. With other players on the team such as Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, Mika Zibanejad, and Jacob Trouba getting paid huge contracts of their own, New York’s cap space lingers around $623,000. Sure, the Rangers can always go into cap debt such as five other teams in the league but that’s not a place where many want to be. There’s also the question of winger Alexis Lafreniere, a former number one overall pick who set career highs for himself in goals, assists, and points last season; he’s also due for a contract before the 2025-2026 season. That now starts controversy about which player should be signed first with the team’s limited amounted of money to spend.
It might also be said that Drury doesn’t want to spend the last of New York’s money on a position that is becoming less valued in the current landscape of the NHL. Take some of the recent Stanley Cup winning goalies for example; Darcy Kuemper with the Colorado Avalanche and Adin Hill with the Vegas Golden Knights. Both of these players are nowhere near the skill level of Igor Shesterkin, and both looked really good on their way to winning the biggest trophy that the sport has to offer. That’s because both of their teams threw more money at improving the skaters in front of their goaltenders. After all, it seems like the team skating in front of Shesterkin is consistently not ready to play on a higher level when it comes to the playoffs.
Whether Drury and select Rangers fans want to admit it or not, Shesterkin is the most valuable player on the team. Without him, New York would not have anywhere near the amount of the success that they’ve had over the past three seasons. Even if Drury doesn’t want to give him the $12 million that he might be asking for, going over the $10.5 million mark is very reasonable for a player of Shesterkin’s caliber. If the GM is not going to give his goalie the money that he wants, another team will; that much is obvious.
Technically speaking, a deal doesn’t have to be worked out between the two sides until next offseason but it’s always a positive to get a deal done before the clock starts ticking even faster. It’s up to Drury as to what he wants to do with Shesterkin’s next contract, but it’s an absolutely huge decision when it comes to the future of this franchise. Drury has yet to speak on what the contract talks between the Rangers and Shesterkin looks like, or if they have even started, but fans should be hoping that it gets done soon.
As far as Shesterkin is concerned when asked about his upcoming contract?
“I’m sorry, I don’t speak English.”
Shesterkin is the heart and soul of this team. Allowing him to go somewhere else other than New York is admitting that the team is going to try and “rebuild”. The Stanley Cup window is open for the New York Rangers as long as Igor Shesterkin is their goalie.