Kevin Shattenkirk signs 4-year, $26.6 million deal with Rangers, per report

Despite a report that Shattenkirk had signed with New York, other sources say the deal isn’t done yet.

The New York Rangers and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk have agreed to a four-year, $26.6 million contract, reports TSN’s Frank Seravalli. The deal includes a $6.65 million annual cap hit.

Initially on Saturday, NHL Network’s Kevin Weekes reported that Shattenkirk was going to New York, but then Seravalli reported that Shattenkirk had not decided where to sign yet, and New York Post’s Larry Brooks said the reported deal was “not accurate.”

However, Weekes was only off on the dollar amount. In the end, Shattenkirk is heading to the Rangers on a lucrative four-year deal.

Shattenkirk, 28, is the top defenseman available on the open market this summer. He’s a high-level offensive defenseman coming off a career year in which he recorded 13 goals and 43 assists over 80 games split between the the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals.

His stellar performance also came despite playing just 19:56 per game, his lowest time on ice average since his rookie year in 2010-11. In terms of point production efficiency, Shattenkirk was among the best defensemen in the league. Only Brent Burns, Victor Hedman, and Erik Karlsson — the three Norris Trophy finalists — finished with more points at the position.

Defensemen who put up numbers are often paid a premium, and Shattenkirk just finished fourth among all blue liners in points last season. He had teams lining up to sign him, and got a big raise from his old $4.25 million cap hit as a result.

The Rangers also win to a degree here by limiting the term to four years. Shattenkirk will be just 33 years old when the deal expires, so New York just landed one of the best players on the market without committing deep into his 30s.

Shattenkirk played five-plus seasons in St. Louis before the Blues traded him to the Capitals last year in exchange for Brad Malone, Zach Sanford, and a pair of draft picks. He participated in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game, and has finished in the top-20 in Norris Trophy voting three times (2012, 2015, 2017).