At the upcoming contract negotiations for the New York Rangers, all attention is on goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
The Russian goalie is now officially entering the final year of a four-year contract he signed after two seasons impacted by COVID-19, during which he played the first 47 games of his NHL career. At that time, the Rangers offered him a mid-level contract, placing him as the 11th-highest-paid goaltender in the league, signaling their confidence in his abilities.
After one Vezina Trophy-winning season and two Eastern Conference Final appearances, that gamble is paying off. General Manager Chris Drury likely wishes the contract was longer.
It’s rare in the NHL for a true superstar to potentially reach free agency, especially after news broke that Shesterkin declined a record-breaking eight-year, $88 million contract (averaging $11 million annually), as initially reported by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes.
Shesterkin is recognized as one of the top goaltenders in the league, often regarded as the best, boasting a .921 career save percentage, a Vezina-winning season in 2021-22, and a remarkable .928 save percentage in playoffs. If he continues this performance into his 30s, he could become a future Hall of Famer.
A deeper analysis reveals even more impressive numbers. According to Natural Stat Trick, Shesterkin ranks highly among goalies with at least 10 games played since the 2021-22 season:
– Second in save percentage across all situations
– First in goals saved above average
– Second in high-danger save percentage
Throughout this period, Shesterkin has often been regarded as the Rangers’ standout player, even during losses.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman from Sportsnet suggested that a deal could still happen during the season. On a recent “32 Thoughts” podcast, he mentioned that the sticking points might be related to either the cap hit or its percentage compared to the contract of Rangers winger Artemi Panarin.
There is speculation that Shesterkin may seek compensation commensurate with being the best player on the team. An additional $642,858 per year on their initial offer would surpass Panarin’s cap hit, resulting in an eight-year deal totaling over $93 million.
If Shesterkin aims for a salary cap percentage similar to Panarin’s, that would equate to around $12.65 million annually, which is 14.29% of the current $88.5 million cap. According to next season’s predicted cap of $92.5 million, the average annual value would be closer to $13.22 million.
As the goaltender for an Original Six team in one of North America’s largest markets, which is currently focused on winning following last year’s Eastern Conference Final exit, Shesterkin holds a strong position.
With less than eight months until he can select his future team, he stands to benefit significantly in the contract negotiations, potentially achieving a groundbreaking deal.
