The Rangers have officially announced the extension of Igor Shesterkin's stay in New York.
Another crucial wrinkle in Friday's events is that the Blueshirts committed the goaltender to a six-year, eight-year, $92 million contract extension.
The deal will earn him an average of $11.5 million per year, a league record.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury confirmed the deal Saturday afternoon.
This extension, combined with Jacob Trouba's divorce from the Rangers, gives the team a lot of cap space, amounting to just over $20 million at the trade deadline.
“I'm really happy it happened,” Drury said on a Zoom call with reporters Saturday. “Making sure we know the position and knowing if we're going to hit the ceiling will help us move forward. I'm looking forward to completing it. I'm excited to move forward with him.”
With Shesterkin locked up and Trouba's $8 million cap hit in the Rangers' hair, Drury helps a team that was in a 1-6 rut before Friday's 4-2 win. He said he would not be opposed to doing more in the future. Penguins.
Still, Drury said he will be selective about his spots and won't add more immediately after Friday's turn of events.
“It's my job to try to understand what the team needs on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis,” he said. “Obviously I'm not against making further changes, but overall the team has been through a lot over the past few weeks and certainly this week. I'd like to get the dirt settled a little bit more. …I'd like to see the team settle down a little bit.”
Drury was asked about Trouba's frustration that a trade to the Ducks fell through and he was forced to accept the offered trade option or go on waivers.
GM declined to comment on the situation.
“I have a lot of respect for Jacob and how he handled himself as captain. We had a lot of success under his leadership,” Drury said. “I'm not trying to embarrass the players. … I'm just trying to do everything I can to move the team forward and make the changes that I think are necessary.”
The Rangers won't have a new “C” sewn onto their jerseys anytime soon.
Rather, the team will be in charge moving forward with a leadership group consisting of Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox.
Head coach Peter Laviolette will name the team a new captain on Friday after Trouba packed his bags in exchange for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick. I explained that I had no plans.
“Right now, we have a leadership group that has been responsive all along and now we're moving forward,” Laviolette said during the Rangers' Saturday practice in Tarrytown.
He acknowledged that a replacement Captain “A” might be assigned at some point, but not immediately.
Brett Berard skated to the Rangers' afternoon practice Saturday in a full-contact jersey.
Despite this, he is still listed as injured with an upper body injury, and it is unclear if he will be available for the Rangers' Sunday matinee against the Kraken.
“I don't know, but I'll try to be available,” Berard said after practice. “I'll try anything. I'm here. But ultimately it's not my decision. It's what the doctors say and the trainers say. I mean, I hope, but I don't know. Masu.”
Berard most recently appeared for the Rangers against the Canadiens on Nov. 30, spending just over 10 minutes on ice.
