NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Florida Panthers at New York Rangers - Source: Imagn — Igor Shesterkin's Rangers extension talks will grind to a halt soon (Picture Source: Imagn).

NHL Rumors: Igor Shesterkin's Rangers extension talks will grind to a halt once regular season starts

Modified Sep 24, 2024 05:30 GMT

Igor Shesterkin is focused on maintaining his performance on the ice as he approaches unrestricted free agency. The 28-year-old Russian netminder is entering the final season of his four-year, $22.6 million contract and could become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

While he has expressed a desire to minimize distractions during the season, a report from The Post indicates that if contract negotiations with the New York Rangers do not resume in the next couple of weeks, it is unlikely that discussions will take place during the regular season.

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According to reports, Igor Shesterkin's camp is targeting an average annual value of around $12 million. Although preliminary talks occurred earlier this summer, the absence of a finalized deal suggests that the two sides have not aligned on terms.

Should the Russian netminder enter the offseason without a contract, Shesterkin could undoubtedly attract interest from several teams willing to meet his demands. However, it currently appears that both the Rangers and Shesterkin are far from reaching an agreement on extension talks.

It remains to be seen how this situation unfolds in the coming weeks.

Igor Shesterkin unsure about his future with Blueshirts

During an interview with Dan Rosen of NHL.com last week, Shesterkin expressed uncertainty regarding his future with the Rangers.

He emphasized his love for the organization, the team, and the fans, stating that it would be wonderful to continue with the Rangers. However, Shesterkin also acknowledged the unpredictability of the situation, indicating that anything could happen in the future.

"I love the organization, I love the team, I love the fans," Shesterkin said. "So of course it will be great to stay here, but you never know what can happen," he added.

Blueshirts GM Chris Drury expressed that the club wants to sign Igor Shesterkin to a long-term contract in the future. He didn't go into details about negotiations but made it clear that everyone in the organization values the Russian netminder highly.

Drury stressed how important Shesterkin is to the team and stated that they'll do everything they can to keep him with the team for a long time.

Shestrkin won the Vezina Trophy during the 2021-22 season after posting impressive stats with a .207 goals-against-average and .935 SV%. He's posted a 135-59-17 record with a 2.43 GAA and .921 SV% over his five seasons with the Rangers.