New York Rangers: Igor Shesterkin complicates goaltending situation

The New York Rangers are finally bringing prized goaltending prospect Igor Shesterkin over to North America. How does he affect their goaltending situation?

Ever since the New York Rangers drafted Igor Shesterkin (also known as Igor Shestyorkin) in the 2014 NHL Draft, fans have been waiting for him to come to North America. He has been touted as the heir apparent to Henrik Lundqvist and his KHL resume justifies that title. It’s not official yet, as the contract can’t be signed until May 1, but it appears he has signed his entry-level deal, according to The Athletic.

According to The New York Post, Shesterkin’s entry-level deal won’t be for a standard three years. Due to his age, he will only sign a two-year deal. There is also a rumored clause which would allow Shesterkin to retain to the KHL if he is sent to the AHL, but the Rangers feel comfortable they won’t have any issues there.

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This puts the Rangers in an enviable, yet difficult, place. They have three NHL caliber goaltenders in their organization now with Lundqvist, Alexandar Georgiev, and Shesterkin. Keeping three goalies is rarely done in today’s NHL. It doesn’t make sense for the Rangers, as having all of their goaltenders in the NHL would prevent one of them from getting playing time.

What options do the Rangers have? They have several. Let’s take a look at them.

1. Shesterkin Agrees To Go To The AHL

This would be the best option for the Rangers, without a doubt. It would allow Shesterkin to get his feet wet in North America. In the AHL, he would most likely get a lot of playing time and would arguably be the most talented, if not best, goalie in the league. This would give Shesterkin a boost in his confidence as well.

Additionally, it would let the Rangers build up his stamina. If there’s any question mark about Shesterkin, it’s his workload. He has been in a goaltending tandem in the KHL over the past two years, starting under 30 games in each regular season. A full year in the AHL should get Shesterkin back on track.

2. Trade Lundqvist

Trading Lundqvist wouldn’t be easy. After all, he has a no-movement clause and seems to desire to spend the rest of his career with the Rangers. However, perhaps Lundqvist is willing to reconsider if he believes he’ll be a part of a tandem as opposed to being the primary starter.

He’s done his best work when he gets most of the starts. Lundqvist didn’t do well during the 2018-19 season, when he didn’t get most of the starts. Trading him would be a very unpopular move, as he’s the face of the Rangers. Also, thanks to his NMC and his high cap hit, there’s no way they’re winning that hypothetical trade.

3. Trade Georgiev

This option is a viable one. Georgiev did great during the second half, posting a .929 save percentage in 17 games after the All-Star break. His resume isn’t long, but in 43 appearances (39 starts), he has a .915 save percentage. At worst, that’s league average. Georgiev’s second half shows he might have the potential to be a starter.

The Rangers wouldn’t get much for him, but selling high on him isn’t a bad idea. Georgiev’s value will likely never be higher than it is right now. It would make the most sense to trade him at the 2019 NHL Draft. If the Rangers plan ahead and figure out what they’re going to do with Shesterkin early, a trade is plausible and perhaps even likely.

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