Rangers reach deal with Igor Shesterkin to make him NHL's highest-paid goalie, reports say

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers reached a deal with Igor Shesterkin on Friday that will make him the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history, according to multiple reports.

Shesterkin, who turns 29 on Dec. 30, agreed to an eight-year extension worth a reported $92 million, for an average annual value of $11.5 million. That tops Carey Price’s eight-year, $84 million deal he signed with Montreal in 2017 as the richest for a goalie.

The Rangers did not announce the contract, and Shesterkin declined to comment on it after the Rangers' 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night.

“I cannot say anything else," Shesterkin said. "Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow.”

The successor to Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist with New York, Shesterkin has been one of the best at hockey’s most important position since debuting in 2020. He has a 144-68-18 record with a 2.47 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. The Moscow native is 9-9-1 with a 2.99 GAA and .908 save percentage this season.

Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie in 2021-22 and he has backstopped the Rangers to the Eastern Conference final twice.

Signing Shesterkin long term checks off the most important job left for general manager Chris Drury after trading defenseman Jacob Trouba to Anaheim earlier Thursday. Drury also signed budding star forward Alexis Lafrenière to a seven-year extension earlier this season, and a new contract for linchpin defenseman Ryan Lindgren could be next.

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