New York Rangers back themselves into a corner with goaltender Igor Shesterkin

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TJ Tucker
September 24, 2024 (10:58)

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A new deal for the New York Rangers' goaltender Igor Shesterkin has to be done by opening night of the 2024-25 season if the team doesn't want to risk losing him

If he manages to make it to free agency, there will be no end to the teams willing to make him a lucrative offer. Now, the pressure to get a deal done with star Igor Shesterkin, who becomes a free agent after the 2024-25 season, has been ramped up even more.

A report from Mollie Walker of the New York Post states a deal needs to get done by the opening date of the 2024-25 NHL season, or negotiations will not start again until the season ends.

"So if negotiations don't resume and a deal is not reached over the next two weeks or so, as The Athletic first reported, there likely won't be any during the season, The Post confirmed."

"It's a matter of wanting to keep distractions to a minimum during the season, but it obviously could change at any time."

The Post also confirmed rumours that Igor Shesterkin's camps wants around $12 million per season on a new contract, which would make him the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL, and among the highest paid overall.

Igor Shesterkin's current contract carries an average annual value of $5.67 million, according to PuckPedia . Giving him $12 million per season would put him in the area of 12 to 13 percent of the New York Rangers' entire salary cap. Teammate Jacob Trouba recently admitted this may be the last chance for the current Rangers core to win a Stanley Cup given the amount of players entering the last year of their contracts in 2024-25 before becoming a restricted or unrestricted free agent.