Igor Shesterkin is out for the rest of the season with a right knee injury. Yeah, you read that right. The New York Rangers got hit with that absolutely brutal news over the weekend, and it completely changes the landscape for a team that’s actually started hot, grabbing six wins in eight games this season, including a Tuesday night victory. But man, that goalie injury is a gut punch, no matter how good your record is.
Rangers Facing A Goalie Crisis, But Are They Willing To Pay?
GM Chris Drury is already burning up the phone lines, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, looking for a replacement for Shesterkin. You can’t just lose your starting netminder for the entire year and not make some moves, right? Dreger mentioned the Rangers have already asked the Winnipeg Jets about Connor Hellebuyck. Makes sense, he’s a big name. But here’s the kicker: the Rangers aren’t exactly acting with “urgency,” and they “flat-out don’t wanna pay the hefty price” Hellebuyck carries. That’s a huge gamble. You’ve got a hot start, your star goalie is out, and you’re balking at the price for a proven replacement? It feels like they’re trying to have their cake and eat it too, and you just can’t do that when your season could be on the line.
The Leafs’ Early Season Pains And Trade Talk Rollercoaster
Meanwhile, up north, the Toronto Maple Leafs are back to being a hot topic in trade talks, but for totally different reasons. Seven months ago, when they were “abjectly awful,” there were rumors they’d trade everyone for picks. They didn’t. Now they’re not awful, and everyone’s talking about what they *could* acquire. They can’t do waiver claims, though, because they have no SPC space, which is a solid reason to look at trades instead.
There’s also a big cloud hanging over them with the health of their LTIR duo, Elvis Merzlikins and Max Domi. The smart money says Merzlikins will be healthy first, and if he is, the Leafs have to figure out what to do with him: trade him, play him in the NHL or AHL, or get creative. They’re still loaded with too many depth defenders and still seriously lacking top-pairing guys. Plus, they need more forward strength, would kill for a “Nick Paul of a few years ago,” and could definitely use a depth winger. Miles Wood is an “unknown quantity” for them, and honestly, the team doesn’t seem too pumped about him. All this trade talk is happening while other teams are stubbornly refusing to trade for picks or unlikely young prospects.
Don’t even think about Easton Cowan, folks; trading him makes zero sense. And while Ben Danford’s name is out there, do we really want another Fraser Minten deal? That one was a “win now not later” move that blew up right in Brad Treliving’s face. Here’s the real talk: the Leafs haven’t even played 10 games, and they’re not exactly looking like contenders right now. Maybe we should all pump the brakes on expecting some massive, exciting moves. Their defense is a huge issue, especially with Chris Tanev getting injured. Justin Bourne nailed it: they can’t just sit back and be patient after a decent start. They *have* to improve that blue line *now*. They can’t just magic it up, can they?
The Rangers need to decide if they’re all-in on this season and if they’re willing to pay the price for Hellebuyck. For the Leafs, the season is still early, but their defensive and forward needs, coupled with injury unknowns, mean they’re in for some tough decisions if they want to solidify their roster. It’s going to be wild to see how both these teams navigate these early season challenges.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pension Plan Puppets.
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