NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-New York Rangers at Florida Panthers - Source: ImagnIgor Shesterkin names Sidney Crosby and two others as his toughest opponents (IMAGN)

New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin has named Sidney Crosby as the toughest opponent he has faced. Shesterkin spoke to the media in Russia, answering questions about NHL opponents.

When asked about which player was the hardest to stop in a shootout, Shesterkin replied:

“Well, it comes to my mind, there are a lot of players who scored on me. So, it’s hard to choose only three. I’m gonna start with Crosby because he can always make different moves that are very hard to anticipate.”

While Crosby has given Shesterkin headaches, other players stand out in the All-Star netminder’s mind.

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“Also, probably Hughes from New Jersey. And, probably MacKinnon because he’s got a good shot,” Shesterkin added.

Coming from Shesterkin, that’s high praise for Jack Hughes and Nathan MacKinnon. The two snipers are elite-level goal scorers who often put up highlight-reel plays.

While Crosby, Hughes and MacKinnon are all top-level scorers, Shesterkin is among the best goalies in the NHL. NHL Network has named the Rangers netminder the top goalie in the league.

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Predicting Igor Shesterkin’s new contract

Shesterkin is entering the final year of his current contract in New York. According to PuckPedia, Shesterkin is due $5.66 million against the cap. That value seems like a bargain compared to his production in New York.

However, the situation gets complicated when predicting how much Sheskterin could get on his next deal. A recent piece in The Athletic estimated that Shesterkin could fetch about $9 million per season. That deal would make sense, considering that Juuse Saros signed this offseason for eight years at $7.74 per season with the Nashville Predators.

Then again, there’s a significant difference between Shesterkin and Saros. Shesterkin single-handedly kept the Rangers in the playoffs this season. He stole the series versus the Carolina Hurricanes and narrowly got beaten by the Florida Panthers.

Moreover, Shesterkin has been a consistent stater, putting together a string of Vezina-caliber seasons. He took home the trophy in 2022 while making consecutive All-Star appearances in 2023 and 2024. He’s started over 50 games three years in a row while winning at least 36 games each season.

Overall, Shesterkin will likely get a new contract similar to what fellow Russian Sergei Bobrovsky got from the Florida Panthers. In 2019, Bobrovsky signed a seven-year, $70 million deal. Shesterkin could get $10 million AAV.

Some analysts believe that Shesterkin could be the league’s highest-paid goaltender. While that might be true, it remains to be seen if the New York Rangers can afford to make it happen.