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How the New York Rangers should resolve the three-headed goalie monster

By Alex Csedrik

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 13: Alexandar Georgiev #40 of the New York Rangers tends net against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden on January 13, 2020 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Islanders 6-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 13: Alexandar Georgiev #40 of the New York Rangers tends net against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden on January 13, 2020 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Islanders 6-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 07: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers (L) who was playing in his first NHL game records a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche and is embraced by Henrik Lundqvist #30 (R) at Madison Square Garden on January 07, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 07: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers (L) who was playing in his first NHL game records a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche and is embraced by Henrik Lundqvist #30 (R) at Madison Square Garden on January 07, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

With the trade deadline on Monday, February 24th, New York Rangers fans should hope for this solution to the current goalie logjam.

The New York Rangers are at the most delicate position they’ve been in as a franchise since The Letter was sent. The rebuild/build has meant saying goodbye to some fan favorites like Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan.

But it’s never challenged our fandom and self-appointed general manager skills quite like it has this year. And it’s all because of the three-headed goalie monster.

Granted, this mess is a situation wholly created by the Rangers themselves. First, they knew that Igor Shesterkin was only going to be amenable to plying his craft in the AHL for so long. His KHL opt-out clause loomed large over the future of the franchise while he had a .934 save percentage with a microscopic 1.90 goals against average on his way to 17 wins for Hartford.

And all the while in the NHL Alexandar Georgiev was well on his way to blowing past the 60-game threshold that no longer made him waiver exempt.

Which leads to the most difficult decision they’ve had to make in years: What to do about Henrik Lundqvist, the face of the franchise? (Or as Larry Brooks of the New York Post put it, the Henrik Lundqvist mess.)

So what is the path forward that ends the three-headed goalie monster? Here’s the best-case scenario.

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