Given Igor Shesterkin’s current situation, the Colorado Avalanche should pursue and keep tabs on New York Rangers goaltender. He is looking for a massive contract extension that, if not tendered by the Rangers,, could see him walk into free agency as an unrestricted free agent (UFA). Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Connor Hellebuyck are among the NHL’s top goaltenders.
He has won the Vezina Trophy, received Hart Trophy votes, and led the Rangers to a Presidents’ Trophy. However, the Avalanche have one thing that Igor Shesterkin does not: a Stanley Cup. Let’s analyze this situation in light of recent events concerning the upcoming UFA goaltender.
Colorado Needs A Clear Cut Number-One Netminder
The Avalanche’s opening-night blowout against the Vegas Golden Knights and follow-up loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets raised concerns about their goaltending situation. Alexandar Georgiev looked shaky, while Justus Annunen was dreadful.
Is it necessary for the Avalanche to acquire a number-one goaltender? Annunen, who is only 24 years old and has much to show, is expected to take over as the primary goaltender in Colorado. However, once he is tapped for that role, there is no guarantee that he will be able to fulfil it.
Georgiev has been struggling recently, seeming out of sorts since last season. Something may be affecting his performance this season, possibly an undisclosed injury. Without insider information from the Avalanche’s training room, it’s impossible to know for sure. It’s important to note that there is still time to pursue another top-line goaltender just two games into the season. The Avalanche will have to work with their current goaltending options until at least the 2025 Trade Deadline, when other goalies may become available.
If the Rangers haven’t signed Shesterkin, the Avalanche and Rangers could discuss a potential deal. Otherwise, they must wait until summer to determine a possible deal. Trading for Shesterkin is challenging; the Rangers are unlikely to part ways with him quickly as they do not have a full-time replacement. They would require something substantial in return to make a trade happen, such as Annunen, draft picks, and roster players. However, pursuing this deal may not be worthwhile. It might be better to wait until Shesterkin becomes a free agent.
The Price Tag To Potentially Aquire Shesterkin
According to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, Shesterkin has turned down an eight-year, $88 million contract from the Rangers. This would have made him the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history, at $11 million per season.
This comes days after Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said that the Rangers will pay Shesterkin and it’s only a matter of time. “I believe it’s going to work out,” Friedman said on 32 Thoughts. “I think the Rangers have made the choice that they’re going to pay him and, to me, it just comes down to what the numbers going to be. Until I’m told otherwise, I expect them to work out. Work it out. I believe the Rangers have made their choice here.”
The rejected extension far exceeds what Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark recently signed for. According to Weekes, Shesterkin believes he’s worth much more, somewhere around the $12 million average-annual-value mark or higher.
Related: Shesterkin’s Firm Contract Stance with Rangers Could Lead to a Trade
Weekes made an interesting point when he stated that Shesterkin is “trying to set the market for goaltenders.” This statement speaks volumes about where Shesterkin wants to be regarding salary. Shesterkin doesn’t just want to get paid; he wants to raise the bar.
Based on these considerations, the Avalanche would likely need to offer Shesterkin around $11 to $12 million per year, if not more. The contract is for seven years if Shesterkin signs as a free agent. He could have signed up for an additional eighth year if they acquired him before becoming a free agent. So, the question is: Are the Avalanche willing to give Shesterkin that deal over seven or eight years?
At first glance, the answer would be yes. Any team would be willing to give one of the top-three goalies in the league a substantial payday to strengthen such a crucial position. However, paying more than $12 million to a goaltender may be too expensive for most teams. The Avalanche have much to gain from bringing Shesterkin on board, so they should take the opportunity, even if it comes at a high price. Despite potential salary cap constraints, there’s a way to make the situation work for both sides.
The Issue Adding Another Heavy Contract to the Team
Let’s say the Avalanche sign Shesterkin for $12 million AAV. In that case, the team must free up enough cap space to accommodate the new deal. This might seem a difficult task, but it’s achievable. First, assuming Gabriel Landeskog remains on Long Term injured Reserve (LTIR), making the money work would be unfortunate but necessary. That’s $7 million they could use toward paying Shesterkin.
Second, let’s assume the club doesn’t re-sign Georgiev this offseason when he is a UFA. That is an additional $3 million-plus. That’s over $10 million so far they could use toward paying Shesterkin. However, that still leaves the team short about $2 to $3 million to cover Shesterkin’s deal. Assuming the cap ceiling increases to $92 million this upcoming offseason, as it did last offseason, the Avalanche could cover Shesterkin’s new contract with the roughly-$4-million increase.
One last thing: Some people may ask about Mikko Rantanen’s new contract. If the Avalanche pursued Shesterkin, would there also be enough money to sign Rantanen? That’s a tricky question. Ultimately, the situation would come down to how much Rantanen wants, whether they are willing to pay him that amount, and whether the Avalanche would rather keep him or stop their pursuit of Shesterkin.
It’s possible to keep both players by using some creative cap management. While it won’t be easy, it can be done. However, if it comes to a point where management will have to pick one player over the other, the Avalanche would need to be sure that Rantanen wants to leave Colorado. Currently, there is no indication that this is the case.
Ultimately, snagging Shesterkin may be a long shot, but it’s worth doing the necessary research. Franchise goaltenders don’t become available often, so the Avalanche should at least consider the possibility of bringing Shesterkin on board. Who knows — maybe Shesterkin is interested in leaving the intense media environment of the Big Apple and wants a change.
