Rangers GM Chris Drury Wants Igor Shesterkin in New York for the Long-Term

New York Rangers General Manager Chris Drury met with the media on Tuesday, right before the start of training camp on Wednesday. Though he would not speak on how contract negotiations were going with goaltender Igor Shesterkin, Drury clarified that he wants him to be a Ranger for a long time.

“We’re going to do everything we can to make sure he’s here for a long time,” Drury said during his press availability on Tuesday.

Those are strong words from a general manager. Statements like that are not usually made this early in the process. However, Drury is verifying a report from Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period last week that talks about both Shesterkin and the Rangers wanting a long-term extension.

“I know they had discussions at the start of the offseason and very loose just obviously, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page, and we want to work towards a long-term extension, which they do,” Pagnotta said on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio.

And it makes sense, too. Shesterkin is the backbone of the Rangers. To quote Reggie Jackson, “He is the straw that stirs the drink.” Shesterkin is one of, if not the Ranger’s best players. And without a goaltender of his calibre, the Rangers may not be able to compete for a Stanley Cup each year.

This harkens back to what former Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto said in August at Fanatics Fest about how the team could not walk away from a goalie of Shesterkin’s calibre.

“I don’t know how you let a guy like that walk away,” Del Zotto said. 

The Rangers have a history of keeping things quiet during contract negotiations, especially during the Drury regime. Shesterkin is the topic of conversation heading into training camp.

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He is entering the final year of his four-year, 22.7 million deal, which he signed back in 2021. The deal carries a salary cap hit of $5.66 million.

As it has been documented, the Rangers netminder wants to be the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL. Whether he makes $11 million, $12 million, or more than Carey Price‘s $10.5 million is all part of the negotiation process.

There is a reason why NHL Network named Shesterkin the best goalie heading into the 2024-25 season. His numbers back up the statement that he should be the league’s highest-paid goalie.

In 208 career starts, he has a record of 135-59-17 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. He also won the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltender in the NHL during the 2021-22 season with a 36-13-4 record, a 2.07 goals against average, and a .935 save percentage.

If those numbers are not reason enough to reset the goalie market on a long-term extension, then maybe it might be best to look at his playoff numbers. He has had 44 playoff starts with a record of 23-20, a goals-against average of 2.41, and a .928 save percentage. Shesterkin brought the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals twice.

You can argue that he was the Rangers best player on those trips to the Eastern Conference Final. As one expert said, the game should be renamed goalie because the team may be in for a long season without one.

In an ideal world, Drury and the Rangers would love to lock up Igor Shesterkin for under $10 million. The reality of the situation is probably not going to be the case, especially if he continues to deliver.

While it is a waiting game, there is still time to make a deal. Remember, Chris Kreider did not sign his seven-year extension until February 24, 2020, before that year’s trade deadline. So, there is no need to panic. This could be a similar scenario to that with Shesterkin and the Rangers.

As Shesterkin told the media on Friday

“I love the team, I love the fans, so of course it will be great to stay here, Shesterkin said. “But you never know what’s going to happen.” Shesterkin is not thinking about going into the season without a new deal.

The good news is that both parties want a long-term extension to keep Igor Shesterkin in New York. The question will at what cost.