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Rangers kick off 2024-25 season with backdrop of Shesterkin negotiations |
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As the Rangers got set for Opening Night in Pittsburgh, bombshell news came out yesterday morning. Kevin Weekes reported that New York offered an eight-year, $88 million deal to Igor Shesterkin, which he declined. Information that came out after the tweet in essence confirmed that data, making the start of the season almost secondary.
New York under GM Chris Drury has been a very buttoned up, close to the best organization. Leaks that were commonplace in the past had all but dried up. That’s part of why these details coming out in the manner in which it did is very surprising. One question that has to be asked is what is the benefit of this information being revealed.
We all saw what happened with Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman and Aaron Judge when Cashman revealed the details of the offer made to Judge, which in essence was done to embarrass him. The optics of Cashman doing this was not well received by nearly all. Judge used this as motivation, betting on himself and having an absolute monster season to earn an additional $100+ million.
Shesterkin is clearly betting on himself. We all know he wants to be the highest paid goalie in the league. The Rangers, by their offer and comments made to date, are on board with this, as evidenced yesterday. What is unclear is how far apart the two sides, which is rumored to be a decent gap.
Igor may want to be the highest paid player on the Rangers. If that is the case, the number starts at above $11.642 million, which is what Artemi Panarin is making. If he wants to have the highest percentage of the cap in the team, then the figure will be much higher. Understanding which one applies is critical for negotiations. Plus does Igor really want to walk away or is he using this as a negotiating ploy to up the offer.
In addition, we are up against the arbitrary due date for a contract to be signed. Originally, Shesterkin said he wouldn’t negotiate when the season starts. That may be fungible, and given the original offer and possible spread between that number and what Igor might want, would seem to allow some flexibility for a deal to be reached during the season. But that is pure speculation and it’s possible that Igor plays this year as a pending UFA with the league having a chance to sign him come after the season.
My guess is the figure ends up around $11.75 million for eight years. I was hoping it would be $11.25 per, but the extra half million a year gets him to a figure over what Panarin is making. Any thoughts of hometown discount, which was unlikely, can all be tossed aside given the news yesterday.
All of this is now in the backdrop of the season starting. The moves made Monday to create cap space were basically reversed yesterday. New York lines up to face Pittsburgh in their season opener as laid out in my blog yesterday.
Likely lines:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Smith
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière
Cuylle-Chytil-Kakko
Edström-Carrick-Rempe
Brodzinski
Miller-Fox
Jones-Mancini
Schneider-Trouba
Ruhwedel
Shesterkin
Quick
Let’s Go Rangers!!!
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