Reports: Pending UFA Shesterkin unlikely to negotiate with Rangers in-season
Published
It appears the New York Rangers may have just two weeks to work out a contract extension with pending unrestricted free agent Igor Shesterkin before talks are tabled until after the season.
The New York Post and The Athletic both report that Shesterkin is unlikely to negotiate in-season as he keeps his focus on the ice during a contract year. The Post adds that Shesterkin's camp is looking to establish him as the league's highest-paid goaltender at an average annual value of $12 million.
Shesterkin, 28, is on the final season of a four-year, $22.67 million deal he signed with the Rangers in August of 2021, which carries a cap hit of $5.67 million.
Injured Montreal Canadiens star Carey Price continues to hold the highest cap hit of any netminder at $10.5 million, with his contract running through next season. Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is signed at $10 million on his seven-year deal inked in 2019, while Andre Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning carries a cap hit of $9.5 million on his deal also signed in 2019.
Winnipeg Jets star Connor Hellebuyck ($8.5 million AAV) and Ilya Sorokin ($8.25M AAV) of the New York Islanders round out the top five with both in the first year of their new deals this season.
Is Shesterkin worth $12 million?
The 6-foot-1 netminder had a 36-17-2 record last season with a .913 save percentage and 2.58 goals against average. He went 10-6 in the playoffs with a .927 save percentage and 2.34 GAA before the Rangers were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.
Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy in 2022 as the league’s top goaltender after going 36-14-4 with a 2.07 GAA and .935 save percentage.
Drafted 118th overall by the Rangers in 2014, Shesterkin has a career 135-59-17 record with a .921 save percentage and 2.43 GAA.