The Rangers’ goaltending picture has turned into one of those problems that just won’t go away.
Igor Shesterkin is out for the rest of the season, Joonas Korpisalo was hurt before that, and New York has had to lean on Dylan Garand far more than anyone expected. Garand had only three NHL games on his résumé last year, but when he was pushed into the starter’s role in October, he didn’t just hold the line - he gave the Rangers real stability. Through 13 games, he’s 6-6-1 with a .960 save percentage and a 2.52 goals-against average.
Now Korpisalo has been sent on a conditioning stint in the AHL, though he still may be a few games away from making his first Rangers start of the season. With Garand heading into his 13th straight start, New York needs help back there soon.
That’s why the trade chatter keeps circling back to the crease, and why one name has started to stand out: Juuse Saros.
The idea surfaced on 32 Thoughts earlier this week, when Elliotte Friedman suggested that one of Nashville’s goaltenders could become available to a team looking for help.
Elliotte Friedman: Someone...pointed out to me...Nashville has a couple of really good goalies...that teams that have 2 of them are gonna get calls; especially now that Connor Hellebuyck is off the board...if you have 2...goalies, you're gonna get calls - 32 Thoughts (11/2)
- NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) November 3, 2026
On paper, Saros makes sense for a Rangers team that wants certainty. Nashville has gotten solid work from Saros and Annunen, and Saros brings the kind of experience that can calm things down in a hurry. He’s 31, he’s been the Predators’ starter since Rinne’s retirment, and he comes with the kind of veteran track record New York would love to plug into its net.
But the contract is where this gets tricky. Saros is in the second year of an eight-year deal worth $7.74 million annually.
That’s a heavy number for any team to absorb, and it becomes even tougher for the Rangers once Shesterkin is healthy again. From a pure cap standpoint, Annunen would be the easier fit.
Still, if the Rangers are prioritizing steadiness over savings, Saros is the cleaner answer.
Nashville, though, has little reason to rush into anything. The Predators have more cap space than the Rangers, they’re getting strong offense, and the goaltending is working. Unless New York comes with a serious offer, there isn’t much incentive for Nashville to move either Saros or Annunen.
So while Saros would likely solve New York’s goaltending issue, the fit only works if the Rangers can make the money line up. Otherwise, a shorter-term option with a smaller cap hit looks like the smarter path.
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Matthew Robertson was the next man up, making his season debut after beginning the year in the minors. For the Rangers, it was the kind of depth test that can surface quickly over an 82-game schedule, with one young defenseman sidelined and another getting a chance to re-enter the picture in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]