Igor Shesterkin’s contract extension with the New York Rangers makes him the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history, according to multiple reports.
The team announced the eight-year extension Saturday but did not provide the value of the deal in its news release. It is reportedly worth $92 million US for an average annual value of $11.5 million. That tops Carey Price’s eight-year, $84 million deal he signed with Montreal in 2017 as the richest for a goalie.
Shesterkin, who turns 29 on Dec. 30, declined to comment when asked about the extension after the Rangers’ 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night.
“I cannot say anything else,” Shesterkin said. “Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow.”
The successor to Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist with New York, Shesterkin has been one of the best at hockey’s most important position since his debut in 2020. He has a 144-68-18 record with a 2.47 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
The Moscow native is 9-9-1 with a 2.99 GAA and .908 save percentage this season.
Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie in 2021-22 and he has backstopped the Rangers to the Eastern Conference final twice.
Signing Shesterkin long term checks off the most important job left for general manager Chris Drury after trading defenceman Jacob Trouba to Anaheim on Thursday.
Drury also signed budding star forward Alexis Lafreniere to a seven-year extension earlier this season, and a new contract for linchpin defenceman Ryan Lindgren could be next.