The New York Rangers likely were never going to sign Leon Draisaitl as a free agent next summer. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t pay close attention when Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers hammered out a massive contract extension, which was finalized Tuesday.
That’s because the Rangers have their own superstar to re-sign before he can become an unrestricted free agent next July 1.
So, even though comparing Igor Shesterkin to Draisaitl is not exactly apples to apples, there are enough similarities here for the Rangers to learn a thing or two.
It starts with that each 28-year-old is among the best in the world at his position. Shesterkin is, arguably, the best goalie in the NHL. The 2022 Vezina Trophy winner sure looked the part carrying the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final last spring. And Draisaitl is just about the best forward on the planet. Or at least in the conversation with his Oilers teammate Connor McDavid after three straight 100-point seasons and triple-digit points in five of the past six seasons.
Each player is a cornerstone for the team that selected him in the 2014 NHL Draft. Draisaitl professed love and loyalty today for the only NHL team he’s played for. Shesterkin certainly has expressed similar sentiments about New York and the Rangers in the past.
And had they both reached free agency July 1, there’s a good chance they’d be the two most attractive options on the open market, along with Mitchell Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche (assuming Sidney Crosby is a lock to re-up with the Pittsburgh Penguins).
Then there’s the money. Draisaitl received an eight-year contract worth $112 million. That averages to an NHL record $14 million per season. No other player will earns as much annually as Draisaitl when the extension kicks in for the 2025-26 season.
Shesterkin? He’s reportedly aiming to be the highest-paid goalie in NHL history. That would mean topping Carey Price and his $10.5 million AAV. Perhaps that number creeps north of $12 million per season on a long-term deal.
Like the Rangers, the Oilers are up against the salary cap. Plus, McDavid, Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse will need new deals within a year. The Rangers need to sign Shesterkin and then get Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller signed before they can become restricted free agents with arbitration rights next summer.
But there’s a key takeaway for the Rangers in how the Oilers conducted their business with Draisaitl despite bumping up against the cap.
Rangers can learn from Oilers signing Leon Draisaitl to massive contract
“Players like Leon are special,” Oilers general manager Stan Bowman explained Tuesday. “There’s not many players in the world that can play hockey like he does. There’s no way we could ever replace what Leon brings to the table. … For me, there was never a question (about signing Draisaitl).”
Though goalies are typically not valued as highly as great skaters — forwards, in particular — Rangers general manager Chris Drury should have that same line of thinking about Shesterkin as Bowman does with Draisaitl.
You have, arguably, the best player at his position in the NHL. Don’t overthink it. Get a deal done.
Of course, it’s not that simple. There are negotiations, and the GM of any team most definitely is looking for some kind of financial concession to be able to build around his superstar player(s).
But in the end, get the deal done and figure out the rest.
“Certainly, there are going to be challenges in the future but that’s for us to figure out down the road,” Bowman stated. “I think right now, the most important thing was to make sure that, No. 1, he wanted to be in Edmonton — and that’s something we should all focus on, as well … we’ll figure out the rest down the road. But now, just thrilled that he’s with us.”
