New York Rangers star goalie Igor Shesterkin gave a concerning comment when asked about his contract talks.
Shesterkin is entering the final year of his four-year $22.67 million deal and has been eligible to sign an extension as of July 1. However, no deal has been reached. Speaking to reporters, Shesterkin said he would like to be back long-term but isn’t sure if it will happen.
“I love the organization, I love the team, I love the fans. So, of course, it would be great to stay here, but you never know what can happen,” Shesterkin said.
Shesterkin also says he isn’t letting the contract talks impact him. Instead, he says he is leaving that to his agent to work on a possible extension with the Rangers.
“I have one more year. I don’t care about it… It’s work for my agent. I just want to be focused on my game and on practice every day,” Shesterkin added.
Shesterkin is one of the best goalies in the NHL and has been with the Rangers since the 2019-20 season. He took over as the starter in the 2021-22 season. Last season with New York, Shesterkin went 36-17-2 with a 2.58 GAA and a .913 SV%.
Rangers GM Focused on Re-Signing Shesterkin
Rangers general manager Chris Drury says keeping Igor Shesterkin in New York is his goal.
On the opening of the Rangers training camp on September 17, Drury said he wants Shesterkin to be in New York for a long time.
“I’m not going to get into any private discussions or negotiations with Igor or his agents publicly, but you all know what I think of Igor and what we all think of Igor around here and we certainly hope he’s here and a Ranger for a long time,” Drury said. “You know how important he is to our team and our organization. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure he’s here for a long time.”
Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL in 2021-22.
Rangers GM Says It’s Cup-or-Bust
The Rangers have been one of the top teams in the NHL for quite some time now, but New York has yet to win the Cup.
New York had the best record in the NHL last season but lost in the Conference Finals to the Florida Panthers.
Heading into the 2024-25 NHL season, Drury says the goal this year is to win the Cup and he believes the roster has a chance to do so.
“Obviously, our ultimate goal is to win the Cup,” Drury said. “Personally, I’m always trying to find ways to be better at my job and to do things that allow us to compete for the Cup every year. That starts each and every year at training camp, and I’m looking forward to having (head coach Peter Laviolette) for a second training camp. Hopefully, they have a good camp and another good regular season and give ourselves a chance to get in the playoffs.”
The Rangers will open its 2024-25 NHL season on the road on October 9 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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