Early Trading: Shesterkin rejects offer to become highest paid goalie ever

After reporting from Kevin Weekes that Igor Shesterkin has turned down what would have been the richest contract for an NHL goalie, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joins Gino Reda to share what he knows about the situation and why there may be some pressure to get a deal done before the start of the season.

LeBrun also explains how the eventual deal for Shesterkin could have a domino effect on a goalie like Jake Oettinger.

Reda: So, what’s going on with Igor Shesterkin? It’s early insider talk with Pierre LeBrun.

Pierre, Shesterkin is considered by many to be the No. 1 goalie in the world but he’s not even in the top 10 currently in goalie salaries. He needs a new deal, or the Rangers could lose him to unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. Even though he hasn’t played in over two years, Carey Price is still the highest-paid goalie in the league at $10.5 million a year.

Now, our buddy Kevin Weekes is reporting that, at last word, Shesterkin turned down a deal that would make him No. 1 on that list at $11 million a season.

What are you hearing? What’s the holdup? What’s the latest there, Pierre?

LeBrun: Yeah, so having made a few calls about this on this day, Gino, what I can tell you is that while I can’t confirm the exact number of the Rangers’ offer, I certainly can confirm that New York put on the table the largest contract for a goalie in NHL history, surpassing Carey Price at $10.5 million. But obviously that has not led to a signature, so that’s where this thing is as we speak.

You know, it’s important to note for a couple reasons. Number one, as we’ve talked about a couple weeks ago, there is this unofficial deadline that, you know, Shesterkin may not want to negotiate during the season. So, there’s a bit of pressure here to try and get it done before the Rangers’ season opener on Thursday night.

Now, we’ve seen in the past, Gino, that, you know, there’s a sense of not wanting to talk during the year but then that deal still gets done. So, I want to be careful that we’re not making that deadline 100 per cent. But it is part of the conversation.

The other thing I would add here is that that dialogue continues. This isn’t a situation where the Rangers made an offer, Shesterkin said no, and that’s it, they’re not talking. They continue to go back and forth here. Does it get done Thursday night? Does it get done later? Or does it not get done at all and he goes to market next July 1. All still to be determined.

But either way, Gino, as we said earlier this month, when Igor Shesterkin does sign, whether it’s with the Rangers, or elsewhere, he will absolutely be the highest paid goalie ever and it’s going to start with an 11 or a 12.

Reda: A new high-water mark, and the question is, how does that domino affect other guys? Cam Neely said Jeremy Swayman had $64 million reasons to sign with the Bruins. Wrong. Swayman had $66 million to do that.

What is the domino effect of that salary on a guy like Jake Oettinger, Pierre?

LeBrun: Well, I think it has to be impactful. I mean, Jake Oettinger, who is in the last year of his deal, he’ll be a restricted free agent next July 1. Also 25 years old. He’s in that same exact place in his career as Jeremy Swayman. They’re both Team USA pals. Both probably going to be on Team USA for the Four Nations. And so, you know, no question in my mind that Jake Oettinger would have been staying close in touch with Jeremy Swayman throughout that negotiation and paying close attention to where that number ended up at $8.25 million a year.

What I can tell you is that the Stars have not really got into it in terms of serious talks with Oettinger yet. I think there was a sense of let’s just see how the year plays out first. 

I do think Jim Nill, the Stars GM, will probably want to address this at some point during the season. But, my sense is, Jake Oettinger’s camp, led by agent Ben Hankinson, they’re probably not in a huge rush. I mean, Jake Oettinger has a chance to put up a great year here, give himself even more leverage in talks. He’s got the Swayman deal in his back pocket now, so perhaps this goes to after the season.

The other thing to remember is Dallas also has to sign Wyatt Johnston at some point. He’s an RFA at the end of the year, so some interesting contract negotiations ahead for the Stanley Cup-contending Dallas Stars.