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New York Rangers’ five biggest needs the rest of the offseason

By Garrett Gartino

Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 9, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; New York Rangers goalie Antti Raanta (32) goes past Ranger fans before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Hurricanes defeated the Rangers 4-3. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; New York Rangers goalie Antti Raanta (32) goes past Ranger fans before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Hurricanes defeated the Rangers 4-3. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

Plan B for Raanta

The expansion draft is just days away, and there is continued speculation surrounding New York Rangers’ goaltender Antti Raanta. There is a high likelihood that the Las Vegas Golden Knights opt to select Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury as their first net minder.

However, Raanta’s strong play behind franchise goalie Henrik Lundqvist has boosted his value significantly. Outside of the chances of Las Vegas acquiring Raanta, he is also rumored to be sought after by several other teams.

Previous to acquiring Mike Smith, Calgary remained an option. Meanwhile, Winnipeg has been seeking a top goaltender for years and has a young man named Jacob Trouba that should attract the Rangers’ front office.

Should Raanta leave the Rangers this offseason, it will be up to Benoit Allaire to work his magic yet again. They may turn to one of the many homegrown talent that they boast, including Magnus Hellberg and Mackenzie Skapski.

However, it is just a matter of time until Russian standout Igor Shestyorkin, who is still under contract in the KHL, makes his claim as the heir to the Rangers’ goaltending throne.

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