Do the Rangers Really Want To Pay Igor Shesterkin $12 Million a Season?

Are the New York Rangers Hesitant To Pay Igor Shesterkin in the $12 Million Range?

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet joined NHL Morning Skate on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Scott Laughlin and Gord Stellick to discuss how the New York Rangers might be hesitant to pay Igor Shesterkin close to $1.5 million over Carey Price’s AAV.

NHLRumors.com Transcriptions

NHL Rumors: Igor Shesterkin, Jeremy Swayman, and Jake Oettinger

Scott Laughlin: The latest on Shesterkin with the Rangers and the Kevin Weekes report that came out yesterday (Tuesday), that $88 million has been on the table and that it’s been turned down so far. Many insiders a while back had the report that the Rangers are willing to do the dance with the Shesterkin’s camp, but obviously not coming to an agreement, at least as of now. Elliotte Friedman, NHL network radio, hockey insider from Rogers, Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada, joins us here to kick off our number three of the show.

And I just mentioned, look, I mean, all the insiders have been all over this the last couple of weeks, since Shesterkin kind of set that deadline. He wanted to get something done before puck dropped tonight against Pittsburgh. It’s not done. They’re going back and forth. I mean, what can you tell us about the negotiations Shesterkin’s camp with the New York Rangers?

Elliotte Friedman: “You know, I’m not like, I can’t confirm Kevin’s numbers. That doesn’t mean that he’s wrong. It just means I haven’t been able to confirm the numbers specifically. But he’s right about the fact that, you know they’re not there right now. And the one thing I think is going on here is that I believe Shesterkin’s representatives have argued, and quite fairly, that he’s the best player on the team, and he should be compensated as such now.

Right now, the highest-paid player on the team is our Artemi Panarin, whose number is just under 11.7, and if the eight times 11 offer is correct, I think they would say, You know what, he should be higher than that and but definitely the theme of it, as Kevin indicated, is correct.

So, you know, I think that I think if eight times 11 was on the table, it’s lower than what Shesterkin’s camp thinks is the right number. And you know, I think the challenge here Scotty is that I don’t know that anybody would argue that Shesterkin is the best Ranger or the most valuable Ranger. Take your pick, whichever you prefer. But what that would mean is, you know, that’s 1.2 million at minimum, more than the highest goalie ever been paid.

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And I think that’s where the challenge is here: people can’t fathom it, or people are unwilling to cross that threshold for a goalie. And I think that’s where we are. I don’t think the Rangers dispute that he should be the highest-paid goalie of all time. I don’t think the Rangers have any problem with giving Shesterkin a big number.

I think right now, unless it gets bridged today, that there’s a philosophical battle over where that exact number should be.”