Rangers Goalie Igor Shesterkin reportedly denies record contract offer

It's goaltender's Igor Shesterkin's contract. Now that Jeremy Swayman got his extension done with the Boston Bruins, being paid 8X$8.25 million, all eyes are on New York to lock down their Vezina Trophy-winning goalie.

Igor's entering the last year of his current deal, and the buzz is about making him the highest paid goalie in the NHL

According to former NHL goalie Kevin Weekes, negotiations haven't reached the final stages yet, and it seems Shesterkin just turned down the Rangers' latest offer. The rumor is New York offered him an eight-year contract with an average annual salary of $11 million-$88 million total. If he had agreed, it would've been the largest deal for a netminder in history.

So, where do things stand? The 29 year-old is still holding out. Some insiders are saying that Igor may prefer a shorter deal, like five years, but he's also eyeing a huge payday. He wants to top Artemi Panarin's $11.6 million cap hit and be the highest-paid Ranger.

It's been reported that Igor is looking for $12 million a year, which is a hefty number. But, for a five-year deal, it might be worth it for both sides. Shesterkin gets paid, and the organization keep some flexibility as the salary cap rises each year.

The brick wall has been a beast in his five seasons with the Rangers, racking up 135 wins in 203 starts, a 2.43 goals-against average, and a stellar .921 save percentage. In the playoffs, his GAA is 2.41 and his a save percentage stands at .928. He's the standard right now between the pipes.

It's clear why he's worth every penny, but the Blueshirts may need to dig deeper to get this deal done.

Now, Chris Drury has kept things pretty quiet throughout the process, so the fact that news of the rejected offer leaked might mean the GM is frustrated. It's nice to see some pressure on Shesterkin's camp, as he , doesn't want to negotiate once the season starts and with the opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night, this negotiation clock is ticking.

It's all part of the process, and fans should remain confident a deal gets done. The front office and Igor's team will likely find common ground, but both sides are playing hardball for now.