After some soul-searching, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is heading to the Rangers _ apparently at a discount.
The New Rochelle, N.Y., native, who grew up as a Blueshirt fan, agreed to what is reported to be a four-year contract of about $26.6 million, and passed on larger offers.
The Rangers confirmed the agreement Saturday but did not disclose terms of the deal.
"New York was a place I wanted to play," Shattenkirk said in an interview on Canada's TSN network. "If I passed that up, I couldn't live with that."
Since the end of the season, general manager Jeff Gorton and head coach Alain Vigneault have publicly said they wanted a top pair, right-handed defenseman, and Shattekirk, 28, a power-play specialist, fits the bill.
"I think the opportunity to win a Stanley Cup as a hometown kid, that's the reason I came here," Shattenkirk said.
In February, while with the St. Louis Blues, he nixed a trade to Tampa that reportedly would have resulted in 7-year, $42 million contract and on Friday, the word was around that he would sort through offers from teams and make a decision Saturday.
Shattenkirk, who attended Boston University, was selected 14th overall by Colorado in the 2007 draft, but played just one year there before going to St. Louis and playing seven seasons there. He was traded to the Capitals at the trade deadline for a 2017 first-round pick, 2019 conditional second-round pick, and left wings Zach Sanford and Brad Malone.
With Washington, Shattenkirk had two goals and 14 points in 19 games, and a goal and six points in 13 playoff games before the Capitals were ousted. He finished the season with 13 goals and 56 points.
The deal for the former U.S. Olympian solidifies the top two defense pairs: Shattenkirk will likely be partnered with captain Ryan McDonagh; the recently re-signed Brendan Smith (for four years at $17.4 million) will join Brady Skjei. The Rangers have three other defensemen under contract: Marc Staal, Nick Holden and Anthony DeAngelo, acquired from Arizona in the Derek Stepan/Antti Raanta trade.
