New York Rangers: A potential problem in goal

The New York Rangers are contending for a playoff spot this season because of their best asset, Henrik Lundqvist.  While goaltending is  considered their biggest strength, it could be a trouble spot if the 36-year old Lundqvist is out of action for any length of time

Henrik Lundqvist is the Rangers best player. As Hank goes, so goes the Rangers.  He is on pace to play 64 games and that would be his second highest total in eight years. His GAA  (2.54) is his best in four years and his save percentage (.923) is his best in seven years. But what happens if Lundqvist is injured?

The back-up

Rookie Alexandar Georgiev would have to take over in goal.  So far this season,he has done a good job as his fill-in, but hasn’t had to shoulder the load of first string netminder and there is no way of knowing how he would do.   His 3.62 GAA  and .897 save percentage is nothing to brag about, but those numbers can mostly be attributed to the seven goals he gave up in the Carolina game.  Since then, he’s allowed eight goals in three games (2.67) and has a save percentage of .924.  The Rangers, knowing he needs to play to keep sharp, sent him to Hartford this week for the second time this season where he won 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday vs. Bridgeport allowing three goals on 29 shots.

Last season, Georgiev had an audition of sorts when he started six out of seven games with both Lundqvist and Ondrej Pavlec ailing. He allowed 18 goals in those six games and he was chased from the net in one game when he allowed three  goals in under nine minutes. In front of a young, porous defense his save percentage was a solid .911.  That stretch was evidence that he can hold the fort as a number one goalie, but he would be hard pressed to play anywhere near Lundqvist’s high standards

The prospect pool

Despite all of the hype about Ranger goaltending, it’s the prospect pool that is impressive and not the minor league system. Those prospects include Igor Shestyorkin who is having another fabulous year in the KHL and is bound for North America as soon as next season.

Adam Huska is having his third strong year in a row at U.Conn.  Tyler Wall has rebounded from a bad sophomore year at U. Mass-Lowell with an excellent start. There’s also 2018 second round draft pick Olof Lindbom whose season got off to a slow start due to injury.  It’s absolutely true that organizationally, the Rangers are strong in net.

In the minors

The scary part is what is behind Georgiev in the professional depth chart.  Here’s the list:

1. Marek Mazanec
2. Dustin Tokarski
3. Brandon Halverson
4. Chris Nell

Mazanec has been just okay this season in Hartford. In nine games his GAA is 3.11 and his save percentage is .889.  Neither number puts him in the top 25 in the AHL.   If you’re not impressed by those numbers, Tokarski is ever worse.  He has the third worst GAA in the league (4.37) and his save percentage of .875 is near the bottom.

You could argue that this is an indictment of the Wolf Pack defense and there’s some truth to that. However, Georgiev’s numbers are better in his three games in Hartford this season (3.01 GAA and a .902 save percentage).

The Rangers have two prospects in the ECHL toiling for the Maine Mariners. Brandon Halverson has had a string of good starts while splitting work with Chris Nell.  A second round pick in 2014, Halverson is in his third year in the minor leagues and his stock is slipping. The Rangers signed Nell out of Bowling Green University where he posted excellent numbers, but he was just so-so in his first pro year last season.  If Halverson continues to improve, it is worth watching to see if he is promoted back to the AHL if Tokarski continues his lackluster play.

Ironically, the Rangers may have let a potential prospect slip through their fingers.  24-year old Connor Lacouvee went undrafted out of Mankato State University and was signed by the Mariners.  He won both of his starts, posting a .929 save percentage. When the Vancouver Canucks were hit with injuries to Anders Nilsson and Thatcher Demko, call-ups left their AHL affiliate in need of goalies.   Lacouvee signed a PTO with Utica and so far, has played one game for them. If he does well, he may end up a Vancouver Canucks prospect.

What’s ahead

The Rangers have made a success out of this season by winning a lot of one-goal games and shootouts.  True, two of the shootouts wins were Georgiev’s and that is a positive.  However, If Lundqvist goes down for an extended period, the hope is that an untested Georgiev will channel Cam Talbot and excel. If he doesn’t, considering the lack of options, it could be a dire situation for the Rangers.