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The New York Rangers had an eventful 24 hours last Friday. They ended the Jacob Trouba saga by trading their captain to the Anaheim Ducks. Just a few hours later, the Rangers signed goalie Igor Shesterkin to a massive contract extension. Shesterkin thanked the fans after becoming the highest-paid goalie in league history.
“I want to thank all Rangers fans, they support us so hard,” Shesterkin said, per the Rangers' social media page. “We will play for them and play for our families. The support means a lot for me. All of the players in this locker room are like my second family. We love this city. We're happy to be here for the next eight years.”
Shesterkin has been one of the best goalies in the league since he arrived in 2019-20. He has one Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in 2021-22 and has two other top-ten finishes. His contract negotiations got hairy at the beginning of this season, as the two sides could not agree on a deal. Trading Trouba was necessary to fit Shesterkin's contract under next year's cap.
The Friday craziness did not result in any immediate improvements, as the Rangers squeaked by the tanking Penguins and allowed seven goals to the Kraken. Shesterkin must earn his salary this year to get this team back to the Eastern Conference Final.
Rangers still struggling amid roster turnover
Trouba is not the only name that has been on the trade block. Chris Kreider was floated by general manager Chris Drury at the same time as Trouba. And Mika Zibanejad has also been discussed by reporters in recent weeks. Either of those players moving would be a massive shakeup to a team that was two wins away from the Cup Final last year.
One trade Rangers fans can rule out is the addition of Brady Tkachuk. New York Post columnist Larry Brooks reported that the Rangers were interested in him amid the Trouba rumors. The Senators shot down that idea publically and have now accused New York of “soft tampering.” Even if the Blueshirts want Tkachuk, they won't be opening that line of conversation until this drama cools down.
The Trouba trade opened up $8 million in salary cap space, which is more than enough to add an impact player. Whether it is a forward or defenseman, the Rangers should make a big trade deadline move. If they move out Kreider or Zibanejad, they could be in the market for a more significant, long-term trade.
