New York Rangers and Igor Shesterkin Don’t Want Contract to be a Distraction

Igor Shesterkin and the Rangers Don’t Want Negotiations To Be a Distraction

Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period was on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Steve Kouleas and Martin Biron on the Power Play segment. When asked about the Igor Shesterkin situation with the New York Rangers, he stated that both parties did not want the contract talks to be a distraction.

NHLRumors.com Transcriptions

NHL Rumors: Igor Shesterkin’s New Salary Cap Hit Could Be $12 Million

Steve Kouleas: “Another sexy storyline are the Rangers now, with the Devils either chasing them, or they chasing the Devils. Officially now they’re chasing the Devils because the Rangers haven’t played yet. So where are you on? You know, kind of a newer fourth line. Reilly Smith is in. There’s some injury issues right now. Obviously, they’re going to hurt at the start of the year. And the cloud that everyone’s talking about is Igor Shesterkin. Will that be $11 or $12 million distraction right now? Mr. Pagnotta.”

David Pagnotta: “I mean, they don’t want it to be a distraction. He doesn’t want it to be a distraction. The team certainly doesn’t. So we’ll see where that goes. I think everything that I have heard surrounding that was that this was going to be hovering around the $12 million mark, if not starting with the 12 and term, you know, it’ll be long term.

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

Is it going to be a full eight that’ll ultimately depend on the number? I think they’ve discussed multiple different scenarios here, but, I mean, the goal is obviously to get him locked in. The Rangers know that he’s their guy, and they can’t afford really, to part with him at any point. You know, even if you play the full season and let him walk as a free agent, that’s that’s big trouble for that one, they know they can’t do that.

That leverage is what Shesterkin and his camp kind of have at the moment. It’s exactly that. So, I think there’s some, there’s going to be some give and take, and there has been a little bit of give and take, but he’s going to be the highest-paid goalie in NHL history in terms of AAV, based on term that’ll ultimately dictate the total amount.

But can we get to an eight times 12 scenario? I think, I think they’ve been really pressuring New York into getting something that starts with the 12. Again, it’ll depend on the term. But there was this notion that, well, once the season starts, we don’t want to, you know, we want to focus on the year and then hunker down at negotiations.

NHL Rumors: Expect the New York Rangers To Sign Igor Shesterkin Long-Term

That’s what the agents report. So let Igor focus on his game and let Drury and company handle it with the agents. And if they don’t get something by the middle of the season, then I can see a scenario where they do shut things down because it’s going down in the second half. You want to focus on things.

So, I don’t think today (Wednesday) was a definitive deadline. I do think that they can continue discussions, maybe, see, in the next couple of weeks, if they could hammer something out, but if it doesn’t get done sooner.

But they don’t want this to be a distraction. This is a cup-contending team. That’s what they want to focus on. Is Igor locked into an extension now or later? I don’t think to them it really matters.”