Rumor: Per Kevin Weekes. Shesterkin rejects NYRs $88M / 11M AAV offer

[WhataKnight]

Hot take:

The goalie market needed an update, not…..ketamine.

Wouldn’t it be nice if goalie contracts could be percentage-based offers as an option. 10%-11% or GTFO. It increases with the cap, making less of a lead weight.

 

[Ciao]

I’m not going to wish ill will on Swayman, Shesty, or any other goalie seeking a high contract.

I will however be watching with popcorn once a goalie with one of these “golden parachute contracts” gets injured Rick DiPietro-style, cuffing their franchise on a short chain to a 1986 Ford Pinto and pushing it off of a pier.

I know I’m just a working-class idiot, but in a league that sees the current Toronto Maple Leafs gain cap compliance by one whole dollar, imagine what damage another 2.75M of available cap space could do in a contract identical to Swayman. I’d rather take the contract that offers multi-generational wealth and the best possible chance at the Cup.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

There was no 1986 Ford Pinto. Production ended in 1980.

Maybe a 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis would do the trick? Lots of ballast there

 

[SherVaughn30]

If Shesterkin wants $12 million a year, then he can go to the KHL!

 

[WhataKnight]

There was no 1986 Ford Pinto. Production ended in 1980.

Maybe a 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis would do the trick? Lots of ballast there

Admittedly just picked an ‘80s year. Good catch!!! LOL

 

[One Winged Angel]

Yeah I’m cool if the Rangers let him go.

Not looking to make the same mistake they did with Lundqvist, especially if the “last dance” comments are true and they’re looking retooling after this year either way.

Then it would make absolutely no sense to give him that deal.

 

[Ciao]

So, $88-million isn't enough.

I was a 10 y.o. kid growing up in Winnipeg in the summer of 1972 when Jets' owner Benny Hatskin presented Bobby Hull with a $1-million at the corner of Portage and Main. Everyone thought he had lost his mind. Such a thing was never heard of.

The internet tells me that $1-million in 1972 is worth $7.53-million in 2024.

Times change, for sure.

Admittedly just picked an ‘80s year. Good catch!!! LOL

I'm old.

 

[BlueSeal]

The Rangers are my East Coast team when the Blues go down. I'd like to see them sign him and yeah, I'm ok with 12M too. You're not winning with anyone else and if you are serious about hunting for the Cup, this is your netminder, win, lose or draw.

How much exactly does Igor want and has there been any indication that he's making the price sky high because he wants out?

 

[WhataKnight]

Offer him eight.

1M bonus for 30 wins.

2M for the SCF appearance.

5M for a Cup win with 12 logged wins, because by then you don’t give a f*** about the cap penalties next season.

If he does his things right, he makes $16M and gets a Cup.

You want us to bet on you? Bet on yourself.
If not?

 

[HockeyScotty]

LOL
How can you have that high of an AAV for a guy who sits on the bench for 30 games?????

52 games x 60 minutes = 3,120 minutes
82 games x 20 minutes = 1,640 minutes

Goalies still pull way more than their share of the ice time in a season vs skaters.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Rangers window to win is now. I think their current roster is good enough to win it all even if they offered Shesterkin $13M x 4.

They should add a couple pieces at the deadline though to try to put them over the top.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

Not a huge fan of the Rangers leaking this. What's the goal? Have the fans sour on him for leverage?
Yeah, that'll happen but is it worth putting that on your top guy in a contending year... Seems rash.

I think the Rangers leaked it because it's a very good contract offer and he told them to pound sand.

You put this out there so that everyone -- your fans, agents, the players, everyone -- knows that you aren't lowballing the guy. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with it.

 

[BostonBob]

So, $88-million isn't enough.

I was a 10 y.o. kid growing up in Winnipeg in the summer of 1972 when Jets' owner Benny Hatskin presented Bobby Hull with a $1-million at the corner of Portage and Main. Everyone thought he had lost his mind. Such a thing was never heard of.

The internet tells me that $1-million in 1972 is worth $7.53-million in 2024.

Times change, for sure.


I'm old.

My " I'm old and things have certainly changed " example is when Bobby Orr left Boston for Chicago in 1976 he signed a 5 year deal worth $3 million guaranteed - not $3 million a season but $3 million for 5 seasons.

 

[Soundwave]

Hot take:

The goalie market needed an update, not…..ketamine.

Wouldn’t it be nice if goalie contracts could be percentage-based offers as an option. 10%-11% or GTFO. It increases with the cap, making less of a lead weight.

The problem is everyone and their grandma (or at least agent) knows the cap is soon going to be $105+ million.

That's not wishful thinking either, based on where NHL revenue *already is* at (6.43 billion from a year ago, likely increasing to over 6.6 billion for last year, we'll find out at the GM's meetings) at a 50-50 HRR split as the cap has been traditionally, the cap should be way north of $100 mill already.

The only reason it's not is because of the temporary Return to Play CBA made to deal with COVID, but COVID is over and that CBA goes into the garbage bin after the 25-26 season.

So that's the issue. 11% of 108 million for example is a lot different from 11% of 88 million.

The current 88 mill (even 92+ mill if will grow to after next year) cap is a mirage ... it's a fake, a fraud.

 

[WatchfulElm]

LOL
How can you have that high of an AAV for a guy who sits on the bench for 30 games?????

Weird argument considering he'll still end up with more ice time per season than Connor McDavid (or any other skater).

 

[Gregor Samsa]

The difference between a goodish goalie and a top goalie isn’t as much as the difference between a goodish skater and top skater. The money is best saved on a goalie to add depth to your skaters. I do feel for top goalies though. They are the running backs of the NHL. Teams realize they should save money on them and that the coaching and other players can make them better than they are

 

[syz]

Tricky situation for the Rags, tbh. I feel like if you look at expected goals against around the league, most goalies end up being around even, give or take. Few goalies consistently (i.e. over the course of multiple seasons) save noticeably more goals than expected. Having said that, Shesterkin has the potential to be one of those guys over the next several years, so I dunno.

 

[Else Ermine]

I think the Rangers leaked it because it's a very good contract offer and he told them to pound sand.

You put this out there so that everyone -- your fans, agents, the players, everyone -- knows that you aren't lowballing the guy. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with it.

I also don't think there's anything inherently wrong with it, but I do think the consequences have more chance of hurting the Rangers than helping them.
Nobody thinks they don't want Igor back, so no one needs convincing they're trying. By doing this you've now got the conversation around MSG being that Shesterkin doesn't want to be in New York, or that he's greedy. Big market, lots of talk, lots of insecure fans to be loudly picking holes with the guy's play and personality.
Maybe that doesn't affect Igor, but if it does and he goes in an extended rut it becomes the Rangers problem in a hurry.
Or they could just say they're working on a deal with the player's agent which is the route most teams take to avoid this.

 

[SML2]

When a guy rejects a deal that would make him the highest paid player in the history of his position, you close the door and walk away.

Love Igor, but there's a line.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Buh-bye Igor

Your ego and greed will be your downfall.

 

[centipede2233]

He will be almost 30 when his next contract starts, the main reason why I wouldn’t sign him to an 8 yr contract

 

[Soundwave]

Buh-bye Igor

Your ego and greed will be your downfall.

He'll get his money just like Swayman got his. Teams know push comes to shove they don't want to lose a franchise goalie who can be the difference in winning or losing an entire playoff round.

Everyone and their grandma knows the cap is going to explode, 6.43 billion is a massive increase from the 4.86 billion the NHL was making pre-COVID. It's not factored into the cap and that increase is going to grow to well over 7 billion. NHL revenue probably passed 6.6 billion last season, we'll find out at the GM meetings later in the season, but it's a good bet.

 

[Ciao]

My " I'm old and things have certainly changed " example is when Bobby Orr left Boston for Chicago in 1976 he signed a 5 year deal worth $3 million guaranteed - not $3 million a season but $3 million for 5 seasons.

I remember that, too.

Not to complicate the comparisons, but Hull's actual deal was $2.75- million for ten seasons, including the one-million dollar signing bonus. Orr's deal was quite deservedly much richer, but still a small fraction of what Shesterskin is blowing a fart at and walking away from. Even in real dollars.

And Bobby Orr was a God. The best player that ever lived. Not just one of many others.

 

[elmaco]

All the delusional posts about NYR letting him walk are funny.

 

[scholl]

The difference between a goodish goalie and a top goalie isn’t as much as the difference between a goodish skater and top skater. The money is best saved on a goalie to add depth to your skaters. I do feel for top goalies though. They are the running backs of the NHL. Teams realize they should save money on them and that the coaching and other players can make them better than they are

If a team has a very good defense, they can win the cup with a not so good goalie. Vegas for example did it. Offensive teams and those organization who are still trying to figure out how to become successful, a top goalie is important. When Panthers signed Bob, they didn't know how to win and they didn't have a core in place to make it happen but that huge/too expensive contract gave them credibility. Of course, Bob hasn't always played on the Vezina level but that is another thing.

A contract likes Saros' $7.5m AAV would be better for an organization like NYR that has a good roster. I understand, however, why Shesterkin wants to get paid. His current 4 year deal doesn't pay what he deserves and he will be 30 yo. next year. Hence, it's now or never to get that big "retirement contract".

Bobrovsky's 10 mil would be 11.35 if we compared 2019 and 2025 salary caps. Maybe Igor signs for $11.5m or even $11.25m AAV. Somehow I can't imagine seeing them offering him $12m. Otherwise some other players need to settle for earning a sweatsuit set and few rolls of insulating tape.

 

[Ben Grimm]

... I understand, however, why Shesterkin wants to get paid. His current 4-year deal doesn't pay what he deserves, and he will be 30 yo. next year. Hence, it's now or never to get that big "retirement contract". ...

Nope, he's a 29-year-old goalie.