The Toronto Maple Leafs should kick the tires on New York Rangers starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
Shesterkin is entering the final year of his contract this season. While it’s certain that the Rangers will do everything they can to re-sign him, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving should at least do his due diligence.
Now, I get what most folks think. There is no way the Rangers would trade Shesterkin. Doing so would leave the team without a starting goaltender. But beyond that, the Rangers would be unable to replace Shesterkin, at least with anyone half as good as he is.
But any time a star player goes into the final year of their deal, there’s always concern about that player not wanting to re-sign with the club. Just look at the Mitch Marner situation. In a different world, the Leafs would have either signed him or traded him. Instead, the Leafs are stuck with a media frenzy for the foreseeable future.
Thus, it’s fair to assume that the Rangers will be facing a similar media frenzy the longer the club goes without signing Shesterkin. PuckPedia shows that Shesterkin will be making $5.66 million this season. Considering his performance, he should be in Vasilevsky or Bobrovsky territory. Of course, the Rangers will do whatever they can to fit Shesterkin’s new deal under the cap.
But what if Shesterkin doesn’t want to sign in New York? Does that open the door for a deal?
The Return on a Trade for a Shesterkin to the Toronto Maple Leafs
The biggest question mark is the sort of return the Toronto Maple Leafs could offer the Rangers for Shesterkin.
First of all, the Rangers would need a goaltender. Their backup is Jonathan Quick. While Quick has been good in relief, he is nowhere near the Stanley Cup-winning goalie he once was. So, the Rangers will need to get a goalie back to help carry the burden.
The only Leafs goaltender that may interest New York is Joseph Woll. So, let’s pencil Woll in as part of the return. But that won’t be nearly enough to make a deal work.
There’s another piece that might interest the Rangers: Nick Robertson. Given Roberston’s trade request, he automatically gets tossed into the trade. Still, Woll and Robertson would not move the needle.
Now, here’s where things can get interesting: What if the Leafs took on Jacob Trouba’s whole contract? Of course, the Leafs don’t have the cap space, but taking that massive contract off the Rangers’ hands could move the needle some more.
Still, Shesterkin and Trouba’s contract for Woll and Robertson would not be enough. The Leafs would likely have to toss in another roster player and another draft pick or two to make the deal work.
All told the price for Shesterkin would be astronomical. Nevertheless, finally having an all-world goalie backstopping the Leafs could finally get the Leafs over the hump. Imagine Shesterkin stealing games for the Leafs the way he did for the Rangers.
It’s a fantasy worth entertaining. That is why the Toronto Maple Leafs must at least kick the tires on Shesterkin.