Report: Rangers willing to surpass Price's $10.5 million AAV for Shesterkin

It seems like the New York Rangers are ready to make Igor Shesterkin the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL.

“It is our understanding that the Rangers have made it known to Shesterkin's camp that they are willing to pay him more than the $10.5 million Carey Price earned and that is still on the books,” TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday's early edition of “Insider Trading.”

Shesterkin became eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1. He can become an unrestricted free agent next summer when his four-year contract worth $5.67 million annually expires.

The Montreal Canadiens signed Price to a massive eight-year, $84 million contract in July 2017. The deal took effect in the 2018-19 season, when the salary cap was $79.5 million, meaning Price's contract represented 13.21% of the Habs' salary cap at the time.

The salary cap for the 2024-25 season is $88 million and is expected to increase further the following year.

Here are Price's stats from when he put pen to paper compared to Shesterkin's current career numbers:

Price had a Vezina Trophy, a Hart Trophy and a Ted Lindsay Award under his belt when he signed the contract. Shesterkin was named the league's best goalie in 2022.

Shesterkin, 28, has also led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference finals in two of the last three postseasons and has started all 43 of New York's playoff games since becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2020-21 season.

LeBrun added that Shesterkin's camp is trying to “reshape the goalie market.” Three other starting goalies have signed new contracts in the last 14 months — Connor Hellebuyck, Ilya Sorokin and Juuse Saros — and none of them have come anywhere close to the $10 million mark.

“Igor Shesterkin wants to redeem all three contracts,” LeBrun said.

Reigning Stanley Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky's $10 million contract is the only other goalie contract with a salary cap hit in double digits, while two-time champion Andrei Vasilevskiy's contract, which has an average annual value of $9.5 million, comes next.

Reports emerged on Monday suggesting Shesterkin is not interested in negotiating a contract extension when New York's regular season begins on October 9.

Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said Thursday that next season could be the “last chance” for the current core of the team.