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New York Rangers: Kreider tug-of-war, other takeaways from triumph over Leafs

By Andrew Steele-Davis

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 05: The New York Rangers celebrate a first period goal by Chris Kreider #20 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on February 5, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 05: The New York Rangers celebrate a first period goal by Chris Kreider #20 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on February 5, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 05: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers tends the net against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on February 5, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 05: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers tends the net against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on February 5, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /

2. Is the end nigh for the three-headed monster?

As mentioned at the top, much of the discussion heading into this contest between two Original Six franchises revolved around the goalies.

On the Toronto side of the fence, fans were demanding action with Michael Hutchinson a worse than average backup for the Maple Leafs.

And those cries for more adequate help for starter Frederik Andersen would have grown a hell of a lot louder after Hutchinson was lit up five times at Madison Square Garden.

For the Rangers, on the other hand, the decision to not go with Alexander Georgiev in net, who hadn’t started a game since Jan. 21, was a curious one if not a clever move to prevent the Maple Leafs from taking a closer look at their potential savior in goal.

Instead, Igor Shesterkin got the start and stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced, including a stunning pad save to deny Zach Hyman after being put under siege by the Leafs.

Shesterkin is now 4-1-0 in his first five starts for the New York Rangers, only the second goaltender in franchise history to achieve that feat and the first rookie goalie to have done so.

However, it was yet another reminder of how complicated operating with three goalies is, and another layer of intrigue was added in the wake of the game.

Because, obviously seeing enough, Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas decided to pull the trigger on a trade to send forward Trevor Moore and two third-round draft picks to the LA Kings for goalie Jack Campbell and gritty forward Kyle Clifford.

So, that obviously rules Toronto out of the Georgiev sweepstakes and it comes after rumors began to circulate that the Rangers are trying to thrash out an exit strategy with Henrik Lundqvist.

We’re reading between the lines here but maybe Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton made it clear to Dubas that Georgiev was off the table, forcing the Leafs to go in a different direction.

It will all come out in the wash, of course, but on Wednesday we witnessed another glimpse of the future in Igor Shesterkin, while a significant piece of this storied franchise’s past and present may be edging ever closer to the exit door.

Whatever happens, it appears almost certain that the New York Rangers are ready to slice off one head of this three-headed goalie monster before the Trade Deadline passes.

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