When the New York Rangers traded backup talent Antti Raanta this past off-season, it left a wound that could potentially hurt the team.
The Rangers acquired Ondrej Pavelec on July 1st this past off-season. Pavelec, a former is a goaltender who was with the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise his entire career. By no account has he been bad this year. However, he has a reputation for being a lackluster netminder from his time in Winnipeg or Atlanta. The Rangers had several options in the offseason for goaltending replacements for Antti Raanta.
Related Story: The Rangers need to ease Henrik Lundqvist’s workload
The Numbers
Pavelec is 154-162-48 in 11 seasons in the league with a career save percentage at right around .907. Certainly not a prime set of numbers for a goalie who started to many years. Pavelec has received a strong line of criticisms when he was signed by the Rangers.
One of the primary arguments against the Czech netminder primarily is his lack of appearances. Although this is not in part due to Pavelec and more due to head coach Alain Vigneault. The Cape Breton Screaming Eagle alumni has started five games thus far this year. Unfortunately, that is not even close to where he should be. Henrik Lundqvist is projected to start 78 games this season. An aging goaltender such as Lundqvist should have a decreasing workload, not a increasing one.
Perhaps Vigneault is reluctant to play Pavelec due to concerns over his play in prior seasons. He seems like he is relying on Lundqvist.
Related Story: Why Pavelec needs to start more
The Options
The Rangers had basically four choices around or within Pavelec’s price range:
- Darcy Kuemper who signed at $650,000/1 year
- Connor Hellebuyck who re-signed at $2,250,000/1 year
- Philipp Grubauer who re-signed at $1,500,000/1 year
- Antti Niemi, who signed at $700,000/1 year
Pavelec, Kuemper, and Niemi signed on July 1st.
Niemi has certainly has not been better than Pavelec, in eight games, Niemi is 0-4-1 this season with three different teams. Starting in Pittsburgh, Niemi quickly found himself in Florida and then Montreal.
Grubauer has started the season with a similar disappointing tone. In 10 games played, eight of which he started, he is 2-5-1. With a save percentage of .893, Grubauer is not having a season that is better than Ondrej Pavelec in Washington.
Hellebuyck was an RFA this past off-season, but he has been having a very strong year in place of Ondrej Pavelec in Winnipeg. In 22 starts this season, Hellebuyck is 15-3-4 with a .919 save percentage. The compensation for signing Hellebuyck would certainly have been worth it.
Kuemper has played less than Hellebuyck with seven starts, and a 5-0-2 record. Kuemper has a .941 save percentage and is providing quality backup power for the Kings at value.
Now, with the Rangers likely having Pavelec all season, they should look to improve next off-season by improving the support for Henrik Lundqvist. Players such as all four mentioned above will be available, as well as Antti Raanta, and Carter Hutton barring any re-signings.
Next: Pavelec powers past the Penguins
The Rangers will have time to check out some goaltenders and make some organizational assessment, but if Alain Vigneault does not utilize Pavelec because of trust issues, they should move to someone they can trust.