What stalled contract negotiations mean for the NY Rangers

ESPN's Kevin Weekes tweeted Tuesday that the Rangers offered an eight-year, $88 million contract with an average annual value of $11 million, which would have surpassed Carey Price's high mark of $10.5 million. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed those figures to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.

It's no big surprise that the 28-year-old Russian would decline on the eve of New York's season opener in Pittsburgh. Another league source recently pointed out that the two teams were far apart in negotiations and that the chances of getting a deal done before the start of the new season weren't very promising. That could change at any time if Rangers team president Chris Drury decides to up the ante, but Shesterkin seems content to bet on himself and wait.

This strategy carries some risk, especially if injuries occur or Shesterkin has a down year. But if he puts together the kind of season he's clearly capable of, then he'll have the leverage as an impending unrestricted free agent ready to hit the open market next summer. That would certainly push the price tag closer to $12 million per season, if not higher.

That would put the Rangers in a very difficult position. Shesterkin is their most important player and the main reason for their three-year winning streak that began with his historic 2021-22 Vezina Trophy win. He was the backbone of a team that relied on goaltending and special teams to overcome mediocre five-on-five games.