Jets' Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck A Target For The Rangers?

Rangers starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin suffered a lower-body injury last night. The prospect of losing their top goaltender after a disappointing 3-1 loss to their divisional rivals, the Capitals, is tough to bear.

The injury occurred during the second period after challenging a shot on goal by the Capitals' Pierre-Luc Dubois; he skated back into the crease where his skate hit the post, causing him to fall to the ice in pain, favoring his leg.

The Russian goaltender has been a reliable piece in the lineup, keeping the Rangers in games they had no business being in, pushing them above their own capabilities when they were struggling. 

The former Vezina Trophy winner being taken out of the lineup leaves a void that backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo cannot fill, as he's out on injured reserve, leaving prospect Dylan Garand to take on the responsibilities of defending the crease. 

A situation by any means is untenable for a team who is in the midst of a retool, aiming for another run to the Stanley Cup in the future. 

If Igor Shesterkin Is Placed On Long-Term Injured Reserve, Who Is The Next Man Up?

Dylan Garand, who has shown promise in the AHL, could be the guy the team relies upon until they have a more permanent solution in the crease. Garand has played two games this year, with a record of 1-1-0, a .067 GAA, and a.971 save percentage. 

An excellent showing for such a small sample size. But the question is whether or not this is sustainable, and who will back up such a young goaltender who is inexperienced in the NHL? Should the Rangers make a trade?

Connor Hellebuyck ostensibly could be a solution in the net, should Shesterkin be placed on LTIR. The money would be available for general manager Chris Drury to take advantage of and trade for the former Hart Trophy-winning goalie. 

NHLTR Mock Trade For Hellebuyck

Referencing the video linked above from the YouTube channel Hot Take Hockey, this seems like a stretch, as Drury was never one of the teams confirmed to be interested in trading for Hellebuyck. 

The cost would be too prohibitive, and we wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers may as well have to include Dylan Garand, Scott Morrow, and a 1st-round pick. Which, for the Rangers, who are looking to get younger, could be an untenable goalie. Note: This is one hypothetical trade using Bleacher Report as a reference. 

For now, we can mark up this idea as speculative, as nothing concrete has come into play, and we have no idea whether or not Shesterkin will be out long enough to justify the cost of making such a monumental trade.