The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin to a four-year contract. According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the deal will carry an average annual value of $5.65MM. Shesterkin had been eligible to file for arbitration but decided not to this offseason. CapFriendly reports that the deal breaks down as follows:
2021-22: $2MM, $1MM signing bonus
2022-23: $6MM
2023-24: $5MM, $2MM signing bonus, 10-team NTC
2024-25: $6.667MM base, 10-team NTC
As Seravalli notes, this is the largest second contract for a goaltender in league history. Shesterkin is signing away two UFA years with the deal given he is already 25, meaning it was never going to come cheap. The Rangers goaltender finished fifth in Calder Trophy voting this year after posting a .916 save percentage in 35 games, dropping his overall number to .921 in 47 career NHL appearances. That career number is an outstanding one for a young goaltender, and one that if it continues, will have him in the race for other awards in the future.
Success in the NHL shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given Shesterkin’s history at the professional level. In his 117 KHL games before coming to North America, which included three full seasons, he posted an 88-19-15 record, 1.68 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. In his short stint with the Hartford Wolf Pack during the 2019-20 season, he posted a .934 in 25 appearances, going 17-4-3. It’s hard to see anything but stardom in the future for Shesterkin, and the Rangers are betting on it with this huge early contract.
Of course, a commitment like this will raise questions about the other young netminder in New York, as Alexandar Georgiev approaches the end of his own contract. The 25-year-old will be an RFA for the final time next summer, coming off his two-year deal signed in 2020. There have been flashes of brilliance from Georgiev too, and with the starting role now blocked for the Rangers, it will be interesting to see if he even entertains a long-term deal, tries to reach free agency as quickly as possible, or if GM Chris Drury trades him before the decision needs to be made.
The Rangers have exited their rebuild and are now intending on competing for the playoffs and the Stanley Cup. Shesterkin was obviously their best chance at that, and he’ll now be locked up through 2024-25. That doesn’t represent the biggest window, given he could potentially leave as a UFA after that, but at least gives the team a goaltender they can feel confident in at a workable (though not inexpensive) price.
I know it’s not bad and it could look pretty good if he reaches his potential but I was hoping the bridge contract would be a little cheaper. Really worried about what Fox is gonna command after seeing Jones, Darnell, Heiskanen, and Werenski break bank
No way around it. Want players, gotta pay.
Hope he is the next franchise netminder.
Now Drury needs to fix it first, then open the wallet finish this rebuild, star competing at a higher level. Lets go!!
I wonder if they use Georgiev as part of an Eichel package now. 1st, Georgiev & Kakko is prob the most Buff will ever get, maybe a 2nd in there to. Im curious of others thoughts
What is Kakko’s trade value right now? He has disappointed for two straight years and feels very similar to Puljujarvi.
Yeah I agree with you Mr. Melnyk, I really don’t know how high teams are on Kakko. I get the same feeling … Puljujarvi 2.0.
I hated the pick of Kakko at the time of the 2019 draft and still hate it today. Would have taken Dach at 2 and still would have today. That being said, I think he showed some improvement this year but not enough to justify being a hit at 2 overall. I would be more than happy to include him in any deal for a bona fide top 6 center and keep Kravstov a NYR. In the small sample and limited ice time in a 3rd/4th line role, I felt Kravy showed much more potential than Kakko. So much so that I’d put Kravy opposite Panarin to start the season and see what he can do playing with a bona fide play maker. I hope Kakko isn’t the 2nd coming of puljujarvi but it’s getting close.
New coach. Let’s see if they can give the kid some consistency. Just turning 20, bouncing around and trying hard to impress is difficult for a young kid. I’d like to see him with laf and Zib with Strome, Pan and Kravstov on the other. Kreider can chill on the third with Chytil and see if he can bring the kid up the ranks.
Im a habs fan and not a rangers fan, maybe Kakkos value is in the toilet im not sure im just spitballing on what the offer would be. Some are saying Zabinajad, if u subbed those 2 does that work
Zibs isn’t going. Defeats the purpose of trading for Eichel. Personally, I wouldn’t consider Eichel until he can prove that his neck can take the hits and that his neck didn’t get inside his head.
Seems a bit high considering what Hart just got
Unfortunately they’re not great comps for each other at this point. Hart has had one average year, one good year, and one bad year (with the latter being the most recent). Shesterkin has put up two slightly above average to good years. His performance in the KHL also plays a factor here since its seen as being close to the same level as the NHL.
As a Ranger fan I don’t particularly like it. I think it’s a tad high, especially in this flat cap climate. Guy hasn’t even played a full nhl season yet and they give him 5.6mil a year for 4? I do believe he could be worth it, but I certainly would have liked to see him get at least one full season under his belt first. I thought between 4-5mil would have been the right price point. Now we’re gonna either get stuck hoping one of our prospects develops into a savior if he doesn’t ever stay healthy for a full season or hope one of our prospects pan out when he asks for 10mil aav in 4 years so we can avoid being in the same situation we were just in with Hank. But it seems writing big checks to players who show potential is the theme of this off-season.
I like it. Think he’ll be playing for his next contract over the next four years. $5M+ per may be a bargain if he lives up to the hype, which I think he will.