He may not be playing any more, but Carey Price's contract is a starting point for negotiations between the Rangers and Igor Shesterkin.

Gosh! The Rangers sure make you feel good, don't they!

Pistol Pete Laviolette's lads are in the Met Division's second place; only one point behind New Jersey – but with three big games in hand.

Looks good, doesn't it – as long as you don't look too closely. That's because five of those six wins were against non-playoff, very flubby teams.

You don't need an electron microscope to realize that both the Capitals and Hurricanes are only a point behind the Blueshirts and each has a game in hand.

And with all the fuss about a new Shesterkin contract, Igor has not beaten big boys such as Florida and Washington.

Don't kid yourselves, the fans are fully aware of Iggy wanting to be the highest-paid goalie in the league.

"Igor is a keeper," writes Andy Meier of Newburgh, N.Y., "but not for stupid dollars. As long as he's in the ballpark, I say keep him. But if he's looking to top out at the max, then some first round Draft picks and a seasoned goal scoring center will work."

Reader Noam Kogen of Manhattan has been a longtime student of goaltending. He suggests that the most recent highest-paid goalie, Carey Price's deal should be what Shesty should get.

Before injuries scuttled his career, Price was breezin' along with a breezy eight-year, $84 million deal with a $10,500,000 Cap hit.

"Shesterkin should get no more than Price's salary," writes Kogen, "but I think that the Rangers will cave in to him and give him more than $12 million per season. On the other hand, Ideally he should get no more than Sidney Crosby's $8.7 million."

Still uncertain is whether Shesty's agent, Max Moliver, and Chris Drury actually are still negotiating or whether talks will be suspended until the season concludes and the goalkeeper becomes a free agent.

It's a Manhattan melodrama and none of know how it will end!