With Igor Shesterkin out for the rest of the season, the Rangers are suddenly in the market for help in goal. The search has already turned up a few familiar names, but New York doesn’t appear ready to force a move just yet.
On the Ray & Dregs Podcast, NHL insider Darren Dreger said the Rangers have “kicked tires” on Maple Leafs backup Anthony Stolarz. He added that New York has also checked in on Jordan Binnington in St. Louis, Philipp Grubauer in Seattle, and Sam Montembeault in Montreal.
Stolarz is one to watch, especially with Toronto having recently committed to Sergei Bobrovsky on a three-year deal. That has pushed Stolarz into the backup role there, and while the Leafs like their goalie tandem, they’re now facing holes on the blue line. Dreger suggested Stolarz’s injury history and uneven play could open the door to a deal if Toronto can patch the backup spot behind Bobrovsky without spending much.
There are other paths available for the Rangers, though any trade would require them to part with assets.
For now, Chris Drury doesn’t sound like a GM in full scramble mode. Dreger said he’s been monitoring the goalie market, but without any real sense of urgency. New York wants to see what Dylan Garand can do before making a bigger decision.
Some of the options appear to be fading already. In St.
Louis, it’s too early for the Blues to think about moving Binnington. Montembeault, meanwhile, was floated by Ray Ferraro as a possibility, and Dreger agreed that he could fit.
One name that is not in the conversation: Connor Hellebuyck. Dreger and Ferraro both shut that idea down, pointing to the contract and the cap implications once Shesterkin returns.
The Rangers don’t want $20 million tied up in two goalies after this season, and they’re not looking to take on a deal they can’t easily move later. There’s also the simple hockey problem of fit - Hellebuyck would not likely be the starter, so the idea of him settling in as a backup after this season doesn’t make much sense.
That leaves the Rangers with a clear demand: if they add someone, it has to be cheaper and it has to be short-term.
In Other News...
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Toronto has also done some early checking on the defense market, with one Calgary blueliner drawing exploratory interest. Nothing has advanced to the point of a formal move, and for now it remains part of the broader scan the Leafs are making as they evaluate whether there is a fit on the back end. [Read more 🡒]
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One of the more notable choices came on the power play, where John Tavares is moving back onto the top unit. It is the kind of decision that says plenty about how Toronto wants to lean on its veterans while still sorting out its new looks, especially with Auston Matthews building chemistry with Kirill Marchenko at even strength. For now, the Leafs are asking a lot of familiar names in key spots, and the way those pieces fit together could shape how quickly this group settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Chemistry Problem Is Putting Early Pressure On Jim Hiller
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The problem is that the search for the right fit can become its own source of pressure, especially when the forward group keeps changing around them. Past coaching voices have long stressed how important consistent linemates can be, and right now the Leafs are still in that awkward space where the possibilities are open but the answers are not yet clear, leaving Hiller to keep adjusting while the team waits for something to click. [Read more 🡒]