Metro Notes: Shesterkin, Rangers Injuries, Sandin

After a report yesterday indicated New York Rangers’ all-star goaltender Igor Shesterkin wouldn’t negotiate an extension during the season it doesn’t appear the organization is too worried. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff said as much as he reported the Rangers’ front office was ’unfazed’ by the reported deadline and still has Shesterkin as their top priority.

Seravalli also shares that New York is expected to pay Shesterkin more than Carey Price’s AAV of $10.5MM which has been widely known up to this point. Price signed his current eight-year, $84MM contract in July of 2017. He had already won one Vezina Trophy along with five other top-10 finishes, had a .540 win percentage, a .920 save percentage, and a 2.40 goals-against average.

Shesterkin will have had half a decade less experience than Price by the time he signs his next deal although they will be of similar age. The Russian netminder holds a similar line of one Vezina Trophy with two other top-10 finishes, a .649 wpc%, .921 SV%, and a 2.43 GAA. Price may have the edge for overall production by the time he earned his big payday but given that the contract was signed over seven years ago, a $12MM asking price doesn’t appear too off base.

Other Metro notes:

• Sticking at Madison Square Garden, Colin Stephenson of Newsday Sports shares a few injuries to the Rangers’ lineup during preseason action. Stephenson reports defenseman Matthew Robertson is nursing a mild lower-body injury while fellow youngsters Talyn Boyko and Ryder Korczak have upper-body injuries. All three are expected to contribute to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack this season with Robertson and Korczak combining for 41 points last year. Being a goaltender, Boyko is much more of a fringe case to make the team as he may suit up for the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones for most of his starts.
• The Washington Capitals are set to regain one of their more consistent defensemen from last season. Bailey Johnson of the Washington Post reports defenseman Rasmus Sandin’s visa issues have been resolved and he is headed to Washington, D.C. shortly. He will need some time to recalibrate after being stuck in Sweden for most of training camp but it will be a major boost to the Capitals’ blue line. Sandin has scored six goals and 38 points in 87 games while averaging over 21 minutes of ice time per game for Washington since the team acquired him from the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2022-23 NHL season.