It should be an easy two points for the Rangers on Tuesday in Montreal; but it wouldn't be so simple had Habs future Hall of Fame goalie Carey Price still been around.
The current season would have been the final one of Price's eight-year $84 mil contract which was the highest – no pun intended – price in NHL history for a goalkeeper.
That's the kind of dough that New York's Igor Shesterkin has in mind to significantly exceed if Iggy's agent Maxim Moliver and MSG ever agree to a deal.
"Who's to say that Shesterkin might have to quit half way through his deal because of injury," says The Old Scout. "Goalies are much more fragile these days. What happened to Carey could happen to Igor."
That may explain Chris Drury's failure to produce a contract that will please manipulative Molivar.
"Molivar may want to make it a three-year deal instead of eight years," adds The Old Scout. "Using Carey's misfortune as an example that bargaining tactic could change things dramatically, if it already hasn't done so."
As for Tuesday's contest, the Habs likely will start goalie Sam Montembeault and that could be one reason why The Hockey News Yearbook has the Habs finishing last in the Atlantic Division. Montreal's netminding since Carey has been super-sieve-like.
If the Rangers lose this one it will only mean they thought the two points would be served on a Silver Platter, but not in a Stanley Cup!
