The one issue the Rangers won’t have to worry about, at least for the next couple seasons, is who is going to get the majority of their wins in net throughout the regular season and lead the charge into playoff runs. When you have an elite goaltender like Igor Shesterkin, you don’t have to think twice about the kind of effort you’re going to get on a nightly basis and frankly, it’s a problem the Rangers really haven’t had to worry about since the pre-lockout days. However, we’ve seen quite the revolving door of number two goalies throughout that same time span. Jaroslav Halak filled the role last season, signing a one year contract that is set to expire this offseason. Between a shaky start to last season and the fact that he is pushing 40, the chances of the Rangers bringing him back are a bit slim. So the age old question must be asked; If not him, who? Let’s take a look at some candidates who can fill the backup goaltender role for the Rangers next season.
Solving the Problem Internally
Believe it or not, the Rangers actually have two options in the system for backing up Igor Shesterkin. One of which is youngster Dylan Garand who is coming off an exceptional season with the Wolf Pack which included their deepest playoff run in almost a decade. He didn’t have fantastic numbers in the regular season but come playoff time, Garand ran a .935 save percentage through a record of 5-3 in eight games played. He could make the jump to the NHL and with the wizardry of Benoit Allaire, could result in a Cam Talbot, Alexandar Georgiev type of development process. Whether or not that’s in his best interest as opposed to another season in Hartford could be up for debate.
The Rangers also have Louis Domingue under contract through next season. With Talyn Boyko and Olof Lindblom also in the system, the Rangers could just promote Domingue to the NHL, giving Garand full time starter duties in Hartford with Boyko and Lindblom as AHL backup options. I don’t hate that idea however God forbid anything goes down with Igor, you’re now looking at a Garand/Domingue duo at the NHL level with not much experienced depth behind them. For a team looking to compete like the Rangers, I’m not sure banking on perfect health is ever the best choice but if the Free Agent market doesn’t play out in New York’s favor, they do have options within.
Free Agent Options
Jonathan Quick - There’s going to be a lot of chatter regarding Jonathan Quick and the New York Rangers. Quick is a Connecticut native, grew up a Rangers fan, idolizing Mike Richter. He’s served his dues in the league, won two Cups with the Kings but since being dealt at the deadline, is certainly preparing to settle into a backup role, assuming he stays in the league. It’s hard to imagine there’s a situation Quick would prefer more than finishing his career with the team he grew up loving. However, that’s not necessarily his call to make. It’s worth mentioning, Quick just hoisted the Cup for a third time with the Vegas Golden Knights. While his name will once again go on the greatest trophy in sports, there’s a long list of goalies that the team opted to go with over Quick in order to get there. We all know the story in Vegas. They started the season by finding out Robin Lehner was going to be out for the entire season, posing the question of who their starter would be. They went with Logan Thompson who despite a good rookie season, got hurt and missed the playoffs. Despite acquiring Quick, the Golden Knights opted to go with Laurent Broissoit who played well for them early on. Then he went down and they once again passed on Quick and went with Adin Hill and we all know the story from there. If Quick was essentially the fifth best option in Vegas, is it really worth bringing him on to be a backup? If the money is cheap then sure but otherwise, there’s plenty of question marks and injury risks that come with the seasoned vet.
Laurent Broissoit - Laurent Broissoit is coming off one of his better seasons in the NHL with the Vegas Golden Knights, who as I mentioned with Quick, is also fresh off a Stanley Cup Championship. He’s expected to hit the open market and is among the more enticing options for team’s like the Rangers in the market for a backup goaltender. Again, because Vegas is fresh off a Stanley Cup Championship, he could have a higher asking price which would likely leave the Rangers out of the running. However, if they can land him at or around $1 million, he could be among the front runners. He doesn’t have exceptionally impressive numbers but he’s good for 15-20 starts and can get you at the very least something around a .500 record.
Alex Nedeljkovic - A bit of a reclamation project, Nedeljkovic made noise with the Carolina Hurricanes just a few seasons ago which earned him a respectable payday with the Detroit Red Wings. Things didn’t really pan out for him there as they expected him to be their starter and he quickly fell off the radar and even ended up back in the AHL. Given the circumstances, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where a team even considers breaking the bank on him and if you’re a younger goalie in need of a turnaround, what better situation to do that then with the best goalie coach in the league behind one of the best goalies in the world. The Rangers will still have assurance in Louis Domingue and Dylan Garand so they can take a bit of a risk on their number two. If the price is right, Nedeljkovic could make the most sense for all parties involved.
James Reimer - If the Rangers want to keep up with the seasoned veteran theme, James Reimer could be the best choice. Reimer fell off a bit this season but prior to it, has never had a save percentage under .900. It’s worth giving him the benefit of the doubt since he was tasked with tending the goal of a San Jose team that was very much not trying to be great. He is getting a bit up there in age but could be good for another solid year, especially in a more limited role. For the most part, Reimer’s a well liked guy in the locker room and should be more than capable of picking up close to ten wins in 15-20 starts.
Martin Jones - Jones had a bit of an unprecedented year. He signed with the Seattle Kraken to be the number two to Philip Grubauer and ended up essentially splitting time all season long, picking up 27 wins in 48 games with a .887 save percentage. Again, not tremendous numbers but in a role with less responsibility, he could be an effective backup in New York as long as he can come out of the season with more wins than losses. It’s unlikely he plays nearly as many games as he did in Seattle last season but it’s assuring to know he’s capable of a heavier workload if needed. There could be teams willing to give him more money but with how many elite goalies are on the trade block, I’m fairly confident team’s would rather explore trade options than give a guy like Martin Jones suitcases full of cash.
NYR Reunion?
There are a number of unrestricted free agent goaltenders who are no stranger to Benoit Allaire and the New York Rangers. Cam Talbot was informed pretty early on that the Senators would not be re-signing him in the offseason. If the Rangers are interested, he could revert to that backup goaltender role he once served behind Henrik Lundqvist. Now equipped with experience as a starter both in playoffs and all sorts of situations, Talbot could be a great pickup on a bargain deal. Rangers fans know he’s a great guy for the room and as long as he could pick up give or take 12 wins in 20 games, he could be a perfect fit behind Igor.
Antti Raanta is another former Rangers backup/fringe starter who has since moved on to greener pastures. He’s likely a less enticing option as injuries and age have aggressively caught up with him over the years but if the Rangers are in a pinch and the market doesn’t play out how they hope, I’m sure there’d be some consideration. Lastly, it’s too early to completely rule out a Jaro Halak return. He is pushing 40 but could still have it in him. I don’t see a world where he makes the same money he made last year but if he’s happy in New York, willing to play for league min and wants to stick around, it could be one of the more convenient options.
Chris Feldman
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