10 most expensive contracts in New York Rangers history after massive Igor Shesterkin deal

After spending time with the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, Vincent Trocheck inked a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $5.625 million before the 2022-23 season. He represented the Rangers in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game and had a career-high 77 points in 2023-24.

Chris Kreider has been a Ranger for the entirety of his career and one of New York’s most dedicated and consistent players. Kreider was rewarded with a seven-year deal that has an AAV of $6.5 million in Feb. of 2020 and is currently in the fifth year of that deal. He’s scored more than 300 goals in the NHL, and is third all-time in Rangers history in goal scoring and could become the franchise’s all-time leader in power-play goals during the 2024-25 season.

Alexis Lafreniere took some time to find his game in the NHL, but broke out in 2023-24 with 28 goals and 57 points. After a strong start in 2024-25 and facing RFA status, Lafreniere signed a seven-year extension with the Rangers, carrying an AAV of $7.45 million. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft is locked up until 2032 on the deal, and will be 30 years old when it expires.

Jacob Trouba signed a seven-year contract worth $8 million annually after the Rangers acquired him in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets on July 19, 2019. Trouba was a regular on New York’s blue line and named Rangers captain ahead of the 2022-23 season. Seeking salary cap space, the Rangers traded Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6, 2024.

Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist signed what was once one of the richest contracts ever for a goalie in NHL history on Dec. 4, 2013. “The King” inked a seven-year deal with an AAV of $8.5 million. He remained with the Rangers for six of those years, before they bought out the remainder of his contract prior to the 2020-21 season. Lundqvist had a remarkable career with the Rangers, earning a 459-310-96 record with a .918 save percentage and a 2.43 GAA, along with one Vezina Trophy. He had a 61-67-0 playoff record with a .921 save percentage and a 2.30 GAA. He is the all-time winningest European-born goaltender in NHL history and is sixth all-time in wins. HIs No. 30 hangs in the rafters at Madison Square Garden.

Brad Richards signed a massive free-agent deal with the Rangers before the 2011-12 season. The deal was for nine years, and carried an AAV of $6.67 million. Unfortunately, the deal outweighed Richards performance as a player, and the Rangers ended up buying out the final six years of his contract. In the three seasons he spent with the Rangers, Richards had 56 goals and 95 assists in 210 games. He added 12 goals and 16 assists in 55 playoff games.

Adam Fox is now in his sixth NHL season, all spent with the Rangers. The 2020-21 Norris Trophy-winner as the top defenseman in the NHL signed a seven-year deal carrying an AAV of $9.5 million with the Rangers on Nov. 1, 2021 and is currently on the third year of that deal. Fox is consistently among the League’s best defensemen and perennial Norris Trophy candidate, making the deal seem like a bargain.

Mika Zibanejad is now in his ninth season with the Rangers, after the center was acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the summer of 2016. Zibanejad quickly developed into a star player for New York, and signed an eight year contract with an AAV of $8.5 million. Now in year three of that deal, his recent struggles do not take away from the fact that he’s been of the League’s top centers since coming to New York. He set an NHL career high with 41 goals in 57 games during the 2019-20 season and 91 points in 2022-23.

Artemi Panarin is in the sixth season of wildly successful seven-year free agent contract he signed on July 1, 2019. Carrying an AAV of $11.64 million, he is the highest-paid Rangers player of all-time in terms of AAV. He has one full season left of this deal following the 2024-25 season, and then becomes a UFA at age 34. Panarin Established NHL career highs with 49 goals and 120 points (second most in Rangers history) in 2023-24.

Igor Shesterkin became the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history, when he agreed to a massive eight-year, $92 million contract extension in December of 2024. It’s also the richest deal in Rangers history, in total value.The deal carries an AAV of $11.5 million along with a full no-move clause. The 2021-22 Vezina Trophy-winner as top NHL goalie is locked up with the Rangers until the 2033-34 season, when he will be 37 years old.