Article Rangers Have Lots of Options for Igor Shesterkin's New Backup

[Phil]

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Casey DeSmith 

Likely the best backup out there this summer, DeSmith has done a nice job behind Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray for four years and had a .914 save percentage last season. He is coming off core muscle surgery after an injury suffered in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Rangers but, if healthy, figures to be an agreeable option behind Shesterkin, and his last deal carried just a $1.25 million cap hit. 

 

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Martin Jones 

Jones, 32, is essentially a replacement-level goaltender at this point, with a save percentage that was astoundingly .896 on the nose for three straight seasons before rising to .900 with the Flyers last year. That’s a hair better than what Georgiev gave the Rangers, and Jones’ playoff experience — he’s been to two Stanley Cup Finals and won one — could serve the Blueshirts well in springtime. 

 

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Thomas Greiss 

The former Islander is coming off a rough season with the Red Wings, in which his save percentage dipped to a career low .891 over 31 games. But he’s had success in New York before, and if Shesterkin is ready to take on a heavier workload, playing fewer games could help Greiss be more effective. He would presumably need to agree to a pay cut from the $3.6 million AAV his last contract carried, but it’s hard to see any team agreeing to give that to the 36-year-old.

 

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Charlie Lindgren 

There’s an obvious appeal here: Charlie is the brother of Ryan Lindgren, and it feels a safe assumption that the two would love to play together in New York. Though he hasn’t gotten an extended NHL chance since 2017-18, he had a .925 save percentage with the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds during the regular season and has won five of six playoff starts as well. It stands to reason he could get an NHL shot, so why not one with the Rangers? 

 

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Jaroslav Halak 

Another former Islander, Halak is 37 and played just 17 games last season, so it’s hard to see this making sense if the Rangers want their backup to start 30 times again. But if that is negotiable, Halak could be a serviceable option, as his save percentage has been a hair above .900 in each of the last two seasons. 

 

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Other names 

Kaapo Kahkonen is a restricted free agent who the Sharks will presumably try to keep after bringing him in at the trade deadline. David Rittich, an unrestricted free agent, is coming off an abysmal season in Nashville, with a .886 save percentage. Kevin Lankinen, Sam Montembeault and Scott Wedgewood are all unrestricted free agents as well, potentially at low cost. Ditto for Eric Comrie.

 

https://nypost.com/2022/06/20/rangers-have-options-for-igor-shesterkins-new-backup/

[Pete]

Anything with Martin Jones listed is suspect. 

[Flynn]

this is definitely a PooPoo platter. 

[jsm7302]

I'll take Jones

[Morphinity 2.0]

No to Rittich, Lankinen, Greiss, or Montembeault. Wedgewood was actually pretty dece last season. Halak is always a pain in the dick to play against, so sure why not. 

[Phil]

I think it'll be Wedgewood. He'll be the easiest to sign IMO. Familiar with the area, .913 in eight games with the Stars, .911 in 26 games with the Coyotes. Kind of a no brainer, no?

[josh]

Georgiev or Kaapo K2

[Phil]

3 minutes ago, josh said:

Georgiev or Kaapo K2

 

The only way they bring Geo back is by not qualifying him and then re-signing him as a UFA for like $1M, and that seems highly unlikely given how long he's wanted out.

 

Kahkonen would be fine, though. He had a .916 in 11 games with SJS this past season and a .910 in 25 games with the Wild the year before. The Rangers reportedly want someone to play upward of 30 games, so either he or Wedgewood would work just fine. Wedgewood played 30+ split between Dallas and Arizona.

[Ozzy]

I like the idea of Wedgewood.  I can live with DeSmith too!

[Cash or Czech]

Jones and Greiss can go in the bin. DeSmith and Kahkonen are the ideal choices. I'd kick tires on Lindgren as a #3. Our depth isn't great since Huska and Wall don't have much future with our organization above AHL/ECHL. No reason to throw Garand into anything he can't handle, give the kid time. 

[Valriera]

Our backup this year was flood insurance - you need it because the government says you do but you don't really want to use it and if you do need to use it it doesn't work.

 

Hopefully next year we can get to GEICO 

[RichieNextel305]

I’ve been banging the drum on Halak for a year now as more of a mentor and veteran presence to help stablize Igor. But, Igor did enough stabilizing this year. Even still, Halak has experience playing in both roles, playing well in both roles, shouldn’t cost much and in the hell on Earth scenario where Igor misses anytime, I’d feel comfortable having him make a few starts. He’s not as good as he once was, but to me, he’s a logical fit as long as he isn’t looking for wild money, which I doubt he is.

[Drew a Penalty]

1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

I like the idea of Wedgewood.  I can live with DeSmith too!

 

These would be my options.

[Pete]

2 hours ago, Ozzy said:

I like the idea of Wedgewood.  I can live with DeSmith too!

 

6 minutes ago, Drew a Penalty said:

 

These would be my options.

These are literally the only people on the list who don't suck. 

[Sod16]

Halak and Greiss may have killed us in the past, but they are old and losing effectiveness.  DeSmith and Wedgewood sound right.  I wouldn't rule out a younger netminder who might drink a bit of Benoit's magic potion.

 

Jones?  Playing for the Flyers irrevocably alters a goalies abilities for the worse, and Jones wasn't good when he got there.

[RJWantsTheCup]

Need a backup willing to sign somewhere around 1M to 1.5M a year.

[RichieNextel305]

I think a veteran like Halak, who has made his money and may be Cup chasing, would come cheaper than most at this point. He’s older, but more likely to be on the very inexpensive side, compared to someone like DeSmith.

[BrooksBurner]

No Brayden Holtby on the list?

[Phil]

2 hours ago, Pete said:

 

These are literally the only people on the list who don't suck. 

 

Kahkonen, too. He's played 30+ games before over .900.

 

But, yeah, it's Wedgewood for me. Seems clear cut.

[Phil]

1 hour ago, RichieNextel305 said:

I think a veteran like Halak, who has made his money and may be Cup chasing, would come cheaper than most at this point. He’s older, but more likely to be on the very inexpensive side, compared to someone like DeSmith.

 

Sure, and probably not capable of playing 30+ games, like the Rangers want. He's going to be three years removed from his last 30-game season and has played just 18 and 17 the past two years at .905 and .903 respectively. It's not that he can't play or be a good veteran presence, it's that I'm not sure he can handle the workload anymore.

[Dunny]

Wedgewood is actually pretty good. That would be a steal.

[RichieNextel305]

36 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Sure, and probably not capable of playing 30+ games, like the Rangers want. He's going to be three years removed from his last 30-game season and has played just 18 and 17 the past two years at .905 and .903 respectively. It's not that he can't play or be a good veteran presence, it's that I'm not sure he can handle the workload anymore.

I think he can. I think it’s just that Demko was capable of his workload, and that was what was left for Halak. He filled in nicely for the Bruins in 2019-20 when he had 30+ starts.

 

Im not opposed to anyone else. I’d be fine with Wedgewood, as others have said. And even maybe 1 or 2 others on that otherwise lousy list. But, like I said earlier, I’ve been on the Halak wagon now for a year. Why hop off now? Lol.

Edited June 21, 2022 by RichieNextel305

[Phil]

12 minutes ago, RichieNextel305 said:

I think he can. I think it’s just that Demko was capable of his workload, and that was what was left for Halak. He filled in nicely for the Bruins in 2019-20 when he had 30+ starts.

 

Im not opposed to anyone else. I’d be fine with Wedgewood, as others have said. And even maybe 1 or 2 others on that otherwise lousy list. But, like I said earlier, I’ve been on the Halak wagon now for a year. Why hop off now? Lol.

 

Because he's 37? LOL.

[RichieNextel305]

13 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Because he's 37? LOL.

I’m not looking to sign him for 8 years. For a year as a back up though? Sure. 
 

I also think that as opposed to some of the other guys who may get more than him, he’d be willing to sign for less for the opportunity to play for a Cup contender. And for a team that needs to count almost every penny spent, if we can get him for a few hundred thousand less than some of these other guys, I’d be for it.

[The Dude]

Kinkaid, Hutchinson, Pickard. 

 

I'd imagine backup can be a rotation of ugly that can clear waivers.

 

Fuck, I'd bet they try for Domingue.