NHL: New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins - Source: Imagn — Derek Lalonde praises Igor Shesterkin after Rangers defeat Red Wings (Picture credit: Imagn)

Detroit HC Derek Lalonde brings up Igor Shesterkin's rumored $88M rejected deal in post-game analysis

Modified Oct 15, 2024 12:05 GMT

Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde praised New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin after his team's 4-1 loss on Monday. In the game, Shesterkin made 31 saves and allowed only one goal. Dylan Larkin scored that goal just before the first period ended.

Shesterkin stopped a key shot from Alex DeBrincat during a power play early in the second period. His performance showed why he is considered one of the best goalies in the league.

Lalonde praised Shesterkin's play and joked about his choice to turn down an $88 million contract., saying, per Dan Rosen on X:

"He's special. I can see why he turned down the 88 (million dollars). Good agent."

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Reports last week said Shesterkin rejected an eight-year offer worth $11 million per year. This deal would have set a new record for goalies, surpassing Carey Price's $84 million contract from 2017. By turning down this large offer, Shesterkin hopes to get a contract that reflects his true worth.

This season, Shesterkin showed his talent by earning a shutout in the Rangers' opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, he struggled a few days later, allowing six goals in an overtime loss to Utah.

Despite a tough previous season, he finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting, proving he is still a top goalie. Shesterkin has a career save percentage of .921 and reached a peak of .935 during his Vezina-winning season.

Igor Shesterkin focused on team success over contract talks

Igor Shesterkin and the New York Rangers played well in their season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 9. They won 6-0, with Shesterkin making 29 saves. He faced a tough first period and made 10 key saves to keep the Penguins scoreless.

Although there were talks about an eight-year, $88 million contract extension, Shesterkin chose to focus on the game. He wanted to emphasize the team's strong performance instead.

“I don’t want to talk about my contract,” he said (via nypost.com). “If you want we can talk about our team. We played a really good game today. If you have other questions, we can talk about [rookie Victor] Mancini, [Alexis Lafreniere’s] goal, anything you want.”

The New York Rangers will face the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The Rangers have a record of two wins, no losses and an overtime loss, with one win and no losses on the road. In contrast, the Red Wings have a win and two losses, including one win and one loss at home. This matchup will be important for both teams as they continue their seasons.