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The New York Rangers must explore the goalie market at this year’s trade deadline given the evident weakness moving forward.
The entire discussion surrounding the New York Rangers’ trade deadline strategy has focused on selling off pieces and recouping assets. That’s the typical strategy that a rebuilding team employs in the early going.
But the Blueshirts aren’t rebuilding. They’re actually “retooling.” The difference between rebuilding and retooling is a fine one. That fine line makes it hard to rationalize the moves teams make.
That said, there’s one move the Rangers must explore. The club must look into the goalie market.
The reasoning behind that is simple. After losing Igor Shesterkin early in January, the wheels came completely off. The team not only lost its best player, but the entire season went down the drain. In about a month, the entire focus went from trying to make the playoffs to selling everything off.
Now, the point here is not to trade Shesterkin. Rather, the focus is to find a solid backup goalie. While Jonathan Quick isn’t bad, there has to be a reasonable alternative should Shesterkin go down again.
Had the Rangers had someone who could have stepped in during Shesterkin’s absence, this entire debacle could have been avoided. Perhaps a solid backup goalie might not have saved the club’s season. But at least the dreadful outcome currently in play might not have happened.
That’s why this year’s trade deadline could be a good opportunity to find a decent alternative to back up Shesterkin moving forward. It might be a bit of a long shot, but the worst the Rangers could do is nothing.
Rangers Have Young Goalies in Their System
The Rangers have two young goalies in their system. First, Dylan Garand, a fourth-round pick from the 2020 NHL Draft, could be the likeliest choice to get a shot at the NHL. While his numbers at the AHL level haven’t been overly impressive, he’s worth a look. He’s 23 and could be a factor moving forward.
Also, another 2020 pick, Hugo Ollas, could be another option. The seventh-rounder is 23, as well, and might provide a solid third option for the Rangers.
The remainder of this season could be a good opportunity for the club to see what they have in those young goalies. It’s equally fair to assume that they won’t be a short-term solution for the Rangers.
That’s why a competent veteran backup must become a target.
Blueshirts Could Copy Islanders’ Move
Last offseason, the New York Islanders signed veteran netminder David Rittich to back up former Vezina Trophy finalist Ilya Sorokin. Sure enough, Sorokin went down with an injury mid-season. Rittich stepped in and kept the Islanders afloat.
That’s the sort of backup goalie the Rangers need. The team doesn’t need to replace Shesterkin, that is, unless they trade him. The goal is to have someone competent enough to keep the ship going while Shesterkin gets some downtime.
It’s worth underscoring that it wasn’t Shesterkin’s fault he got hurt. It was an unfortunate part of NHL action. That’s why, given the unpredictability of hockey, teams must have a backup plan in place.
The Rangers didn’t, and it blew up in their faces. Now is the time for the club to hedge itself against unforeseen issues like this season.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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