Shesterkin Rejects NYR Contract Offer

First, we all thought it would be challenging, but you can't blame Drury for trying. Today, Kevin Weekes reported that Igor Shesterkin had rejected the largest contract ever offered to a goaltender in NHL history.

After watching the Bruins miserable and very public dance with Jeremy Swayman, who is a far less proven goaltender, it's possible this bit of news may make a lot of NYR fans uneasy. Does Igor deserve this type of contract? The short answer to that question is absolutely yes, he does, but at the same time, committing so much money to one resource can have its challenges. Will they be able to remain competitive and spread the talent out along the rest of the roster? With less cap space and flexibility, that will be harder. But your core players need to be paid what they deserve, and the Rangers' Vezina-caliber goalie deserves to cash in.

The cap is expected to continue to rise, and in a couple of years, the Rangers can look back at handing out this contract and laugh at its overall value. That's the positive hope that remains here. However, this situation is unprecedented and very much related to the Rangers Cup window. I'll tell you right now: moving on from Igor is the wrong move, and the team would be foolish to entertain that option unless an offer is made they can't refuse, but teams know what the situation is, and Drury has little leverage. The only answer here is to give Igor the bag he wants and continue to focus on internal development and cost-controlled contracts. Making it work is Chris Drury's job, and now it's more important than ever that he does that job.