It's no secret that the New York Rangers haven't been a very good team as of late. The Blueshirts have struggled so much that trading Chris Kreider is a possiblity for the team. That's how bad it's gotten. The question now is if these trade talks and the Rangers' struggles changes anything about Igor Shesterkin's contract situation.
The Rangers are 4-6 in their last ten games, which isn't horrible, but they have now lost four games in a row, giving up three or more goals in each game. The Edmonton Oilers put up six in a game that the Rangers didn't look competitive in, and even the new-look Blues put up five against the Rangers. That's not the fault of the goaltending either. The Rangers have looked horrible on defense, and the offense is struggling to get any points on the board. However, it doesn't seem too likely that Shesterkin will leave based on the last week.
The Rangers are still in a playoff spot despite their poor performance amid their losing streak. The team is 12-8-1 and fourth in the Metropolitan Division. They are still in a playoff spot, but New York could benefit to change things quickly. Shesterkin is looking for a lot of money, money that the Rangers might not have. If the team continues to play poorly, it would only fuel Shesterkin to see what other teams around the league are offering. Contract talks have been stalled until the end of the season per Shesterkin's request, but that doesn't mean that he isn't thinking about his future at all.
Even so, it's still early in the season. The Rangers are well over .500, and they have a good enough roster to turn things around, even if a major trade involving one of their aging veterans doesn't happen. If Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider can get going again, the Rangers will most likely see a turnaround. There is also no doubt that Shesterkin has deep connections to the team. This is where he's played his whole career, and his teammates, the fans and pretty everyone in the organization adores him. It would be difficult for him to look for other situations and still not choose the Rangers. Not that he will give them a discount, but Shesterkin won't suddenly look to jump ship this season just because the past 10 games haven't been good.
The Rangers are currently playing the Flyers today at the time of posting, and this game could be the start of the Rangers getting back to the kind of hockey they are used to playing. The Flyers are a decent team, but there is no doubt that New York can leave Philadelphia with a win, and maybe a little more wind in their sails.