Report: Devils Rival Goaltender Turns Down Massive Rangers Contract Offer

The NHL goaltending market was spicy enough over the last couple of weeks. The Boston Bruins and franchise goaltender Jeremy Swayman were in an everlasting standoff amid a contract dispute. The two sides finally came to terms on Monday, consummating a long-term contract. Now, the attention turns to the New Jersey Devils’ rival, the New York Rangers who have already reportedly been turned down by Igor Shesterkin.

According to a report by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, the Rangers offered Shesterkin an eight-year, $88 million contract which would have carried an average annual value of $11 million per season. That offer would have made Shesterkin the highest paid goaltender in NHL history.

The Bruins and Swayman just settled on an eight-year, $66 million contract. Reports suggested that Swayman was seeking near $9.5 million per season, however, was also holding out with the hope that Shesterkin would have put pen to paper for further leverage.

Now, Shesterkin and his camp have Swayman’s contract to utilize in negotiations, as the Rangers’ goaltender has a much larger body of work and longer history of elite success to work with.

The Devils’ division rival knows that Shesterkin is the spine of the Rangers. It comes as no surprise to see them trying to lock down their franchise goaltender. In fact, Shesterkin deserves to be offered the highest contract among goaltenders in NHL history. The question becomes, how high will Rangers GM Chris Drury go?

Here are some things for the Rangers to consider:

Both Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere are pending restricted free agents. Lafreniere is sure to command a significant pay raise. And if Kakko happens to break out such as his GM believes he could, the young Finnish forward could be due for a raise as well. On the blue line, K’Andre Miller is likewise a pending restricted free agent. As one of New York’s consistent top-four defenseman and a candidate to take another step forward this season, Miller is due for a potential raise as well.

Fan favorite Matt Rempe is a pending RFA as well, among others.

The Rangers will have a lot of cap space to work with next summer, however, the Devils’ division rival will want to lock Shesterkin down before they get there as a pending unrestricted free agent. How much cap space they’ll have after he’s signed remains to be seen. Evidently, it appears Shesterkin and his camp are prepared to play hard ball, and the number is only going to go up from here.

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