Next season, Shesterkin’s contract will be in its final year, making him eligible for an extension starting July 1.
The goaltending market has slowed since big contracts were given to Carey Price ($10.5M per season) and Sergei Bobrovsky ($10M per year), but Shesterkin might be the next goalie to break the double-digit AAV mark. Bobrovsky’s deal was 12.27% of the salary cap when signed, while Price’s was 14%. With next year’s $88M cap, Shesterkin’s new deal could range between $10.798M and $12.32M.
If the cap ceiling hits $92M, his range could jump to between $11.288M and $12.88M . These numbers will likely come up in negotiations with Drury aiming for a lower figure.
Re-signing RFA Defensemen:
With Kakko already re-signed, Drury has two main restricted free agents left: Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider.
Lindgren’s bridge deal had a $3M AAV but now requires a $3.6M qualifying offer with arbitration rights as he approaches UFA eligibility next year. He hasn’t hit 20 points in a season yet but is solid defensively on the second pairing, so his long-term value is tricky to pin down. A long-term deal could exceed $5M per season or another three-year bridge deal close to $4.5M might be more feasible.
Schneider is coming off his entry-level contract without arbitration rights yet and has mostly played on the third pairing . He’ll likely get a bridge deal too, potentially doubling his current cap hit of $925K over two years instead of three like Lindgren received before.
Fans might wonder if these deals will leave enough room for other team improvements.
Adding Center Depth:
With Zibanejad and Trocheck as top centers and Chytil recovering for playoffs, center depth isn’t urgent but still important due to Chytil’s concussion history .
Jonny Brodzinski played center often this year but isn’t ideal for regular third-line duties; Alexander Wennberg did well after being acquired at the trade deadline but may be too costly to keep; Jack Roslovic can play center but probably won’t return; Nick Bonino was released midseason without replacement .
At minimum, they need a bottom-six center who can kill penalties like Bonino was supposed to do or someone reliable enough for recall duty if needed .
A third-line option would provide insurance against Chytil’s concussion issues while allowing him flexibility to play wing if necessary .
In conclusion: what do you think about these potential moves?
