NHL Rumor Roundup: What Are The Rangers' Options To Replace Igor Shesterkin?

Goaltender Igor Shesterkin's season-ending leg injury could put the New York Rangers' season in jeopardy.

For now, the Rangers will turn to Dylan Garand and Spencer Martin until backup Joonas Korpisalo returns in a month from a lower-body injury. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Blueshirts will remain patient and avoid any panic moves.

Nevertheless, some observers wondered if the Rangers would seek help in the trade or free-agent markets.

ESPN's Kevin Weekes was among several to suggest Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets as a trade target. The Jets suspended the three-time Vezina Trophy winner without pay for not reporting to training camp. He remains at home in Michigan awaiting a trade.

Friedman doesn’t see that happening, pointing out it would leave the Rangers with two starting goaltenders carrying expensive long-term contracts. Josh Wegman of The Score shared that opinion, calling it unrealistic.

Shesterkin is in the second season of his eight-year contract with an average annual value of $11.567 million. Hellebuyck is in the third season of a seven-year deal with an $8.5 million AAV. Wegman believes carrying two goalies with a combined $20 million in cap space won’t fly.

Weekes suggested the Rangers acquire Hellebuyck for a year, but Wegman rejected that scenario."This isn't a video game," he wrote.

Regardless, Rangers general manager Chris Drury could find the cost of acquiring Hellebuyck to be too high. Given the difficulty the Jets are having trying to move Hellebuyck, Drury probably wouldn't want to face that headache next summer.

Besides, Hellebuyck has a full no-movement clause and probably prefers to join a contender where he'd fit into their long-term plans.

Weekes also mentioned Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild and Mackenzie Blackwood of the Colorado Avalanche as trade options. However, Gustavsson is on long-term injured reserve, recovering from off-season hip surgery, while Blackwood is currently the Avalanche's starter.

Wegman suggested several options, including Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, John Gibson of the Detroit Red Wings, and Samuel Montembeault of the Montreal Canadiens. Binnington and Gibson both have 10-team no-trade lists, while Montembeault is currently sidelined for the next two weeks with a lower-body injury.

Free-agent options pitched by Weekes include former Anaheim Ducks backup Petr Mrazek and former Ottawa Senators backup James Reimer. Wegman also mentioned those two, along with Matt Murray.

Weekes' colleague, Emily Kaplan, suggested former Rangers backup Jonathan Quick (who’s now their director of goaltending development) might be willing to come out of retirement if the team asked him to. However, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports there’s a “strong belief” that they’re not considering that option.

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