The Rangers suddenly find themselves in a tough spot with Igor Shesterkin done for the season, Joonas Korpisalo sidelined for the next month or so, and Spencer Martin day-to-day. That kind of goalie mess usually sends teams sprinting toward a fix, but Elliotte Friedman said on Saturday Headlines that a Connor Hellebuyck pursuit doesn’t really add up. With both Hellebuyck and Shesterkin tied to major long-term deals, Friedman doesn’t expect New York to go that route.
That doesn’t mean the Rangers will sit on their hands forever. Friedman’s read was that they’re more likely to stay patient than force a panic move.
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes pointed to a different set of names if New York decides it needs help, mentioning Filip Gustavsson and Mackenzie Blackwood as trade targets. Both are sharing starts and both have played well, though neither the Colorado Avalanche nor the Minnesota Wild sounds eager to part with a goalie who’s performing.
Weekes also tossed out a few free-agent or retired options: Petr Mrazek, James Reimer, and Jonathan Quick. Mrazek and Reimer are both unrestricted free agents and haven’t announced retirement.
Reimer, who stepped in for the Ottawa Senators last season when their goaltending was a problem, could fit a similar emergency role for the Rangers. And Quick?
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan wrote, “Jonathan Quick, 40, is comfortable in retirement and now serves as NYR’s Director of Goaltending Development. But if the Rangers asked him to play, sources believe he could be a possibility.”
While New York is sorting through its options, another goalie storyline is swirling around Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck, after an offseason that included a trade request and a refusal to report, has a team that’s playing well without him. The Jets are off to a strong 2026-27 start, Kyle Connor is producing some of his best hockey, the goaltending from Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson has been solid, and Winnipeg sits third in the Central Division.
Still, David Pagnotta raised the possibility on an episode of Hello Hockey that Hellebuyck may be reconsidering things. As Pagnotta put it, “You’re starting to hear some conversations of maybe Hellebuyck starting to think about rejoining the [Jets] while wanting a trade, and simultaneously hearing that the guys in room aren’t really gonna welcome him with open arms”
That would be a messy reunion. Even though teammates spoke well of him before the season and no one publicly blasted him, any player essentially saying the club isn’t good enough to win tends to leave a mark.
Winnipeg’s early results only make the situation stranger, because the Jets have shown they can get it done without him. Hellebuyck has the right to return, but the question is how comfortable that room would be if he does.
There’s also a developing market for Connor Zary, and Vancouver is in the mix. The Calgary Flames waived him on Oct. 6, and he responded with a goal in his first AHL game. Calgary wants to move him, but the $3.775 million cap hit has made that difficult for some teams.
The interest is there. The hurdle is the number.
Teams want a shot at Zary and want to give him an opportunity in their organization, but that cap charge is heavy for plenty of clubs. Calgary also isn’t looking to burn its final retention slot, with Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri already using two of those spots.
Friedman said the Canucks are among the teams looking at Zary, though nothing appears close. The 25-year-old still carries real upside, but injuries have interrupted his progress and he’s fallen out of favor with the coaching staff.
In Other News...
Canucks Send A Clear Message With Surprising Blue Line Decision
The Canucks made a noticeable change on the blue line against the Rangers, sitting Jamie Oleksiak and giving Guillaume Brisebois his first game of the season. It was the kind of lineup decision that says as much about the coaching staffs expectations as it does about the player getting the nod, especially with Manny Malhotra looking to manage both development and performance on the back end.
Brisebois got into the action quickly, finishing with two shots, two hits, a blocked shot and a penalty in 12:44 of ice time. Malhotra framed Oleksiaks night off as a chance to reset and simplify, with the emphasis on being more physical and cleaner in the breakout game, a clear reminder that the Canucks still see a specific role they want him to return to. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Suddenly Have An Early Problem Fans Cant Ignore
A four-game skid has quickly turned an encouraging start into a more uneasy conversation around Vancouver, and the trouble has shown up in a few familiar places. The Canucks have not been able to get steady work in goal, their defense has given up too many quality looks, and the penalty kill has been a drag instead of a backstop, leaving the team chasing games more often than not.
Kevin Lankinen has had a rough stretch in net, which has only sharpened the focus on how exposed the club has looked when shifts break down in its own end. Even so, there have been a couple of small bright spots to hang onto, including Jonathan Lekkerimaki and a young defenseman who have stood out while the rest of the group searches for a cleaner response. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Road Trip Is Suddenly Exposing A Bigger Problem
The Canucks six-game road trip hit another rough patch at Madison Square Garden, where Vancouver fell 6-2 to the Rangers and saw familiar issues resurface in a hurry. Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson provided the only offense, with Pettersson even chipping in a shorthanded goal, but it was not enough to offset a night when the game tilted heavily the other way.
Kevin Lankinen was left to absorb most of the damage after allowing six goals on 25 shots, and the result only deepened the concern around how this trip is unfolding. Through the first three games, Vancouver has been outscored 17-5, a stretch that is starting to make the road trip feel less like a rough patch and more like a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]