The New York Rangers have signed a lot of their key players to long-term contracts, including Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, Vincent Trocheck, Adam Fox, and Jacob Trouba. While those contracts have made it challenging for the team to stay under the salary cap, they have also managed to sign some important players to team-friendly deals. Blake Wheeler, Igor Shesterkin, and K’Andre Miller are all signed to very reasonable contracts, which could pay off in a big way for the Bluehsirts this season.
Blake Wheeler
The Winnipeg Jets bought out Wheeler’s contract this offseason after he spent 13 years with the franchise. The Rangers then signed him to a one-year, $800,000 deal. The 6-foot-5 winger is 36 years old and was still fairly productive last season, finishing with 16 goals and 39 assists in 72 games. He also had an impressive Corsi for percentage (CF%) of 58.
Wheeler got off to a hot start last season, with nine goals and 17 assists in his first 29 games. However, he suffered a ruptured testicle after getting hit with a shot during the Jets’ Dec. 15 game against the Nashville Predators and missed a few weeks. He struggled after returning and had eight goals and 22 assists in his next 43 games.
Wheeler fills a need at right wing, as Vladimir Tarasenko signed with the Ottawa Senators in free agency, and Patrick Kane is unlikely to return to the Rangers. With the exception of Kaapo Kakko, the team lacks a reliable right wing, which makes Wheeler a great fit. The veteran is still capable of producing 50 or more points this season.
Igor Shesterkin
Ahead of the 2021-22 season, Shesterkin signed a four-year contract for just under $23 million. He followed that up with spectacular play in the first year of his deal as he carried the Rangers to the playoffs with a 36-13-4 record while leading the NHL with a .935 save percentage and 2.07 goals against average. He won the Vezina Trophy and was also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy.
Shesterkin did not dominate last season, but he still played very well, finishing with a 37-13-8 record, a .916 save percentage, and 2.48 goals against average. He helped the Rangers make the playoffs for the second consecutive season and had an excellent postseason, even though the team was eliminated in the first round.
Related: Rangers’ Shesterkin Returning to Vezina Form
This season, the Rangers will once again look to their star goalie to help carry them into the playoffs in a very competitive Metropolitan Division. When Shesterkin is sharp, he is capable of carrying the team and stealing wins for them when they get outplayed. Based on his excellent first four seasons in the NHL, he is worth much more than his current cap hit of just under $5.7 million.
K’Andre Miller
Miller signed a two-year, $7.744 million contract with the Rangers this offseason. The defenseman is coming off his best season and finished with nine goals and 34 assists in 79 games. At 6-foot-5, he possesses a rare combination of size and speed, and he has already established himself as a top-four defenseman.
The next step for Miller will be using his strength more often while defending rather than relying on stick-checking. At 23 years old, he certainly has the potential to keep improving, and he is already an important player. The Rangers lack depth on the left side of their defense, which makes the young blueliner even more valuable.
Miller also looked more confident in the offensive zone and consistently contributed offensively last season. He rarely got ice time on the man advantage and finished with just two power-play points, but he deserves a shot on the second power-play unit this season.
For the Rangers Moving Forward
While the Rangers have a lot of players signed to big contracts, they also have some very good value contracts in Wheeler, Shesterkin, and Miller. Jimmy Vesey, who played well as a bottom-six forward and penalty-killer last season, is also on a team-friendly contract; he is in the first year of a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension. Gritty, reliable blueliner Ryan Lindgren is also signed to a team-friendly deal and is in the final year of a three-year, $9 million contract.
In order to reach their potential this season, the Rangers will have to rely on their key players on bargain contracts. Wheeler, Shesterkin, and Miller all have very different roles, but if all three have strong seasons, it will go a long way toward helping the team make the playoffs.
