The Igor Shesterkin contract fiasco is at an interesting point right now.
Prior to the start of the regular season, Shesterkin reportedly rejected an eight-year, $88 million contract from the New York Rangers that would have made him the highest paid goalie in NHL history.
Shesterkin entered the season without an extension, meaning there was a lot of pressure on both the superstar goalie and the Rangers organization to start the year.
The 28-year-old bet on himself and through the first few games he was playing at a Vezina Trophy type of level as it seemed the gamble to secure an even higher contract could actually pay off.
All of the pressure was on the Rangers to give into Shesterkin’s demands and just give him a blank check before things spiral out of control.
Recently though, things have begun to shift.
While Shesterkin is not performing badly, his play has dropped off a little bit, which is normal for any goalie, but all eyes are on Iggy given his current contract situation, so there is little room for error.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Quick has been phenomenal. The 38-year-old is coming off of two shutouts and is continuing to make the case to get more starts.
Quick is no threat to steal Sesterkin’s job by any means. Quick’s dominance helps Shesterkin in taking some weight off of his shoulders, but it also puts an added element of stress for Shesterkin to prove his worth and show that he deserves to be paid upwards of $11 million.
Every game Shesterkin is on the ice, it almost feels like he is playing for both the team and his financial future.
Each time Shesterkin’s name is announced at Madison Square Garden, there is a sense of excitement as the fans cheer for him while there is also a sense of anxiety with this saga dragging out longer and longer,.
