Rangers won’t get Igor Shesterkin for less than $10 million annually on next deal: NHL insider

The New York Rangers need to lock up No. 1 goaltender Igor Shesterkin to a long-term deal, and that’s the top priority right now for general manager Chris Drury. But if Drury thinks he will get him at less than $10 million annually, think again, TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button told Forever Blueshirts.

“To me, there’s no way that any number Shesterkin can be (starts with) less than a 10. It can’t be. It’s impossible,” Button said.

Button knows a thing or two about negotiating deals. He was GM of the Calgary Flames from 2000-03, after playing key front-office roles in the Dallas Stars organization, when they won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and reached the Cup Final in 2000.

“Okay, so who’s in Shesterkin’s basket? I mean, it’s [Andrei] Vasilevskiy, it’s [Sergei] Bobrovsky. It’s pretty clear who it is, I think, anyway,” he explained. “So now you start to establish, okay, this is just me now, if the New York Rangers are going to try to say, ‘Well, you’re not as good as Bobrovsky.’ Okay, so I don’t want 10.5 (million); I just want 10.2. Vasilevskiy is making 9.5. There is no way you are getting Shesterkin at $8 million.”

Of course, no one believes $8 million annually is part of the conversation between the Rangers and Shesterkin. Especially since reports indicate the 28-year-old could seek the most lucrative contract for a goalie in NHL history, surpassing Carey Price ($10.5 million AAV).

Shesterkin can make quite the argument to be paid $11 or $12 million annually. The 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner as top NHL goalie was just named the League’ best goaltender ahead of the 2024-25 season by NHL Network.

Just look at what he did this past spring. Without Shesterkin between the pipes, the Rangers would not have reached Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers. He was sensational in the two overtime wins and throughout the series. Even go back to the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes and Game 6. His spectacular play in the second and third periods allowed the Rangers to rally behind a late Chris Kreider hat trick to win the game and advance to the next round.

Simply, Shesterkin was brilliant in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and has been a money goalie in the postseason throughout his career (2.41 goals-against average, .928 save percentage in 44 games; two trips to conference final).

“Shesterkin is a difference maker.,” Button told Forever Blueshirts. “Sometimes you say, well, look at him. He’s behind a good defense. You know, he’s protected a little bit. You know, he doesn’t face the same quality shots whenever it may be, right? That’s not true. Shesterkin makes the team around him that much better. It’s not like he has this phenomenal support.”

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Rangers know they face ‘big number’ with Igor Shesterkin’s next contract

In his latest edition of 32 Thoughts , Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Rangers are well aware that Shesterkin’s contract will be a hefty one.

“I think the New York Rangers know that this is going to be a big number,” Friedman explained. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the No. 1 paid goalie in the NHL. They know that this is going there.”

It’s understandable why Shesterkin wants to be the highest-paid goalie in the NHL. And if he has the same mindset as Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, Shesterkin is likely to get every cent possible on this next deal.

Swayman was on the Shut Up Marc Podcast in Boston to discuss his contract situation and the mindset he developed since last year when the Bruins took him to salary arbitration.

“I understand the [NHL salary] cap is going up and where it will be in years, ” Swayman said. “I understand my comparables and how I can’t ruin the goalie market for other guys that are going to be in my shoes down the line.”

In other words, don’t expect Swayman, who remains an unsigned RFA, to take anything less than top dollar.

Considering that Shesterkin has a better resume and can be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, he’s going to land an even bigger contract than Swayman.

The negotiating window is open, and every team and player takes a different approach. Some finish their quickly, like Leon Draisaitl just did with the Edmonton Oilers. Others go until the deadline, which for Shesterkin and the Rangers is next July 1, though that seems unlikely in this case.

On thing is certain in the end, however, Shesterkin’s next AAV is double digits.

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