"He's gonna lose a year": NHL insider believes Rangers have advantage over Igor Shesterkin's reported $12.5 million AAV contract negotiation

The New York Rangers are negotiating a new contract with goalie Igor Shesterkin, expected to be worth $12 to $12.5 million per year. This would make Shesterkin the highest-paid goalie in NHL history, surpassing Carey Price’s $10.5 million.

On Friday's episode of "32 Thoughts: The Podcast," NHL insider Elliotte Friedman evaluated Shesterkin's contract.

"We are signing this player. We are making him the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL. We recognize his importance to us. We know he's the backbone of this team. ... This is now all about the number. I don’t know what this number is going to be. There's been a lot of reports it’s going to be $12, $12.5, $11.5 (million).

"The one advantage the Rangers have is they have the eighth year. If Shesterkin doesn’t sign there, he’s going to lose a year at a very big number. That is the one thing the Rangers have in their power.

Shesterkin is in the final year of a four-year, $22.67 million deal. He prefers not to negotiate during the season, so the Rangers have until Oct. 9, when the season starts, to finalize the deal.

Igor Shesterkin is a key player for the Rangers, with a 36-17-2 record last season.

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NHL insider discussed a trade possibility between Igor Shesterkin and Mitch Marner

On Thursday's episode of TSN OverDrive, insider Pierre LeBrun talked about Igor Shesterkin's impact on goalie salaries. He suggested that if the Toronto Maple Leafs are eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, Mitch Marner and Shesterkin remain unsigned by July 1.

"...and you’ve got a shot at either one still… what do you do?"

Other hosts replied in agreement that the Leafs should consider going after Shesterkin.

“It would mandatory you take a run at Shesterkin, assuming you could get him,” Insider Bryan Hayes said. “You have to finally, after nine years, say this core isn’t going to work for us.”

LeBrun believes elite goalies like Igor Shesterkin are often undervalued. He argued that investing in a top goalie could be more beneficial than keeping another high-level forward. The show’s hosts agreed, saying the Leafs should change their strategy if their current players do not succeed.

While this idea is interesting, losing Marner without a solid replacement is risky. Many things must align for this scenario to happen next July.