Around this time last season, the New York Rangers were in a free fall. Their season was off the rails, and management decided it was time to break up the core group that had reached two Eastern Conference Finals together. On Dec. 8, the organization made two major moves. First, general manager Chris Drury traded captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks. Second, they signed goaltender Igor Shesterkin to a contract extension. One year later, here’s a look at how these moves have shaped the team.
The Jacob Trouba Trade
Rumors of a potential Trouba trade started during the 2023-2024 offseason. The Rangers were coming off an Eastern Conference Final loss to the Florida Panthers, and his poor play was a big reason why they lost. Drury wanted to revamp his team, but he didn’t have the cap space, which made Trouba and his $8 million salary (for two more seasons) expendable. Drury reportedly had a deal in place with the Detroit Red Wings, but Trouba blocked the trade by adding them to his 15-team no-trade list.
Heading into last season, Trouba was still with the team, but everyone knew he was not wanted in New York anymore, making it difficult to lead his team as he had done in the past. Although the Rangers started the season 12-4-1, their success did not last. When they started to struggle, it was expected that Trouba would be the first domino to fall. He was finally traded to the Ducks for Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick. The Ducks also took on his entire salary.
Igor Shesterkin’s Record-Breaking Extension
With the increased cap space, Drury signed Shesterkin to an eight-year extension worth $11.5 million per season that same day, making him the highest-paid goalie in NHL history. The deal has split the fanbase. Some think the Rangers were right to pay him so much, given his value to the team, while others think they should have spent the money improving other areas of the roster, as teams built around their goalie generally don’t win a Stanley Cup.
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Some were also concerned by the term, as Shesterkin’s numbers have declined every year since he won the Vezina Trophy in the 2021-22 season, when he had a 2.07 goals-against average (GAA) and a .935 save percentage (SV%). In the two seasons following that, leading up to his contract extension, his GAA dropped to a 2.48 in 2022-23 and a 2.58 in 2023-24, while his SV% dropped to .916 in 2022-23 and to .913 in 2023-24.
So, while his numbers have never reached the level they were when he won the Vezina, Shesterkin is still a top-three goalie in the league, and the Rangers would be in a much worse position if he were not on the team today.
Trouba and Shesterkin Since That Day
Trouba played 53 games with the Ducks last season, scoring one goal and eight points, which was to be expected after joining a new team mid-season. This season has been much better, with 13 points through 29 games, and the Ducks are now the top team in the Pacific Division. He looks like the version of himself that the Rangers were hoping for when they traded for him in 2019, but sadly, he never thrived in New York, as he is thriving in Anaheim.
Last season was not good for the Rangers overall, which led to a poor season for Shesterkin. He finished with a record of 27-29-5, a 2.86 GAA, and a .905 SV%, the worst numbers of his career so far. However, this season, he has again been the team’s best player. He has a record of 11-9-2 with a 2.45 GAA and a .912 SV%. While his numbers don’t jump off the page, the Rangers would be much worse off without him, given their issues scoring goals and winning at home this season.
At the time, these moves were in the best interests of the players and the team. It was clear the Rangers did not want to pay Trouba anymore, and that impacted his play and his leadership in the locker room. Freeing up his money helped the team sign one of the best goaltenders in the league long-term, and so far, it has worked out.
