Rangers brass would be in wrong if they leaked Igor Shesterkin contract offer
Regarding the Rangers, in Pittsburgh on Wednesday to open against the Penguins for the first time since 2009-10:Because any time management leaks information like that, it is designed to portray the player as unreasonable or greedy or both.By extension, information like this generally inflames the fan base that is always ready to turn on a marquee player because of his contract situation.If this indeed can be traced back to the hierarchy, what was the point? To indicate that the Rangers are being reasonable and that the Rangers are doing everything they can to seal the deal?To create a cloud of controversy one day prior to the opener?I’ve known Chris Drury, the GM, for going on 20 years and if there’s one quality he has never exhibited, it’s a CYA mentality.At the same time, of course, it is nonsensical to believe this came from Shesterkin’s camp.So I don’t know.The offer was eminently reasonable, the offer anointing Shesterkin as the NHL’s highest-paid goaltender ever, surpassing the per-year record of $10.5M awarded to Carey Price in advance of 2018-19.The Post has reported that Shesterkin is seeking $12M per.
The Post has also reported that Shesterkin is seeking to become the highest-paid player on the team and that would exceed the $11,642,857 per year Artemi Panarin earns off the free agent contract he signed with the Blueshirts ahead of 2019-20.The rejection was eminently reasonable, as well.GM Jeff Gorton had offered Panarin $77 million over seven years during the winger’s free agency following 2018-19.The Rangers thought it was enough to clinch the deal.It wasn’t.The team added a sum of $3.5M to the offer — another $500,000 per year that would have made Panarin the third-highest-paid player in the league behind Connor McDavid ($12.5M per) and Auston Matthews ($11,640,250).
They thought they had a deal.They didn’t.Per contemporaneous sources, the offer was rejected because Panarin was seeking to surpass Matthews and become the NHL’s se...