Alexander Georgiev makes return to MSG for clash with Rangers

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For Alexander Georgiev, his Rangers tenure will primarily be defined by his inconsistent performance, a nickname, and failure to amass unfair expectations. Tuesday night marks a return to the goaltender’s former home, as the “Bulgarian beast,” as he was referred to on his good nights, will lead the reigning-champion Colorado Avalanche onto Madison Square Garden ice for a blockbuster affair with the New York Rangers. Throughout his four-year stint with the Blueshirts, Georgiev struggled to solidify himself as a starting goaltender, for he was the backup to the legendary Henrik Lundqvist before being usurped by Vezina-winner Igor Shesterkin.

But when the opportunity arose, the 6’1 180, pounder seemed overwhelmed by the broadway lights and the pressure to hold his own against two generational talents.

With restricted free agency on Georgiev’s contract looming and Shesterkin having asserted himself as the future regarding Rangers goaltending, it was time for a change of scenery.

The 26-year-old was dealt on July 7 to Colorado for third and fifth-round picks in the 2022 draft (Bryce McConnell-Baker, and Maxim Barbashev)and a third-rounder in 2023. Additionally, the Bulgarian inked a 3X$10.2 million contract extension, as the Avalanche paid him to fill the void left by Cup-winning goaltender Darcey Kuemper, now with the Washington Capitals.

The netminder will likely be the fourth ex-Ranger in the past week receiving a tribute, as Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome were given their due last Monday when the Anaheim Ducks came to town. Former coach David Quinn was unfairly greeted with boos by the crowd, who received a dose of karma upon leaving the building that night, with San Jose rallying for a 3-2 overtime victory. Georgiev may have had performance issues, but his competitiveness and resilience that embodies New Yorkers allowed the previously undrafted prospect to stick around for as long as he did, creating some breathtaking moments. Here’s the story of #40.

After going undrafted, Alexander Georgiev got his shot and took full advantage of it. /

The unique road to broadway:

Despite two standout seasons with the TPS (Turun Palloseura) Turku overseas, where he showed developmental promise, Georgiev went undrafted in the 2017 NHL draft.

Looking to renounce himself in North America, Georgiev was invited to the Rangers’ developmental camp that summer, where he signed a three-year entry-level deal with the club and was ticketed for the AHL with the Hartford Wolfpack, beginning the 2017-18 season as their starting goaltender. The then 22-year-old was 12-11-2 with a 2.97 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in 31 games with Hartford of the AHL before the dream call to the parent club on February 10 to replace the injured Ondrej Pavelec, who was backup to Henrik Lundqvist on the roster.

On February 22, 2018, Georgiev made his NHL debut in Montreal, where he made 38 saves in a 3-1 loss against the Canadians, but on March 3, the youngster stopped 35 shots and earned his first NHL win in front of the gratifying MSG crowd 3-2 over the Edmonton Oilers. The Russian finished the season 4-4-1 with a 3.15 GAA, and a .918 save percentage. A small sample size, but the Rangers liked what they were seeing. However, in year two, the netminder began to make headlines, particularly against the franchise’s biggest rival.

Alexander Georgiev had the Islanders’ number, showing his true Rangers colors. /

The Islander-killer:

On November 21, 2018, Georgiev recorded his first NHL shutout, making 29 saves in a 5–0 victory against the arch-rival New stork Islanders. It would begin a string of dominance against them, and to date, he has a record of 8-3-0 in 11 games with a goals-against average of 1.96 and a save percentage of .935 with two shutouts against the Islanders in his career.

The goaltender also became the first Ranger to record a shutout in Vegas, backstopping the Blueshirts to a 5-0 victory on December 8, 2019, over the Golden Knights. It was the overall sequel to a 45-save performance two nights earlier in a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

But it was on his 23rd birthday that he showed New York what he could be capable of, as on On February 10, 2019, Georgiev made a career-best 55 saves in a 4–1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at MSG, becoming the goaltender with second-most saves in a game in Rangers’ history, while also setting a record for most saves in regulation.

He would back that up with a 51-save performance in Toronto later that season in a 2-1 New York triumph.

Then, the organization still envisioned the impending Igor Shesterkin as the “Chosen one.” Still, Georgiev was undoubtedly putting up a fight, as the stopper finished the 2018-2019 season with a career-high 2.91 GAA and a .914 save percentage.

But as we know now, those dreams of a deadly tandem didn’t become a reality as Georgiev mightily regressed, and it can all be traced back to a shootout late in the 2018-2019 campaign. With a March 3rd contest against the Capitals tied at two and both teams unable to decide things in extra time or the first three rounds of the shootout, the sophomore goaltender faced Alex Ovechkin in round four and, after being faked out, deliberately threw his stick at the great eight, who hadn’t even made contact with him. The referees’ initially ruled it a save but, after further review, correctly awarded the goal to Ovechkin, winning the game for Washington.

Georgiev’s downfall came as Shesterkin’s rise ascended. /

The Downfall:

Coincidentally, Georgie wouldn’t be the same after his shootout blunder, as the team received middling results from him in the 2019-2020 season.

On January 7 that year, Igor Shesterkin was given his shot and never looked back, quickly supplanting his counterpart on the depth chart with his otherworldly performances. The emergence of the new Russian netminder captivated fans and rejuvenated the players as the Blueshirts rapidly vaulted their way into the playoff race before the season was paused in March due to the pandemic. Georgiev didn’t appear in the bubble, as Henrik was appointed the starter for the Stanley Cup playoff qualifiers against the Carolina Hurricanes following Shesterkin’s groin injury. New York was swept in three games.

That offseason, Lundqvist signed with Washington but hung up his skates before even playing a game for them due to heart problems and was now out of the picture. However, any hope the then 25-year-old had of regaining his potential status as a future starter in a Rangers sweater vanished in the 2020-21 season; where he lost a head-on battle with Shesterkin for the NO1 position. In the truncated 56-game slate, Georgiev only heard his number called 19 times and gave way to a 2.71 GAA and a .905 save percentage. His confidence took a dip, and you could see it in his play the following season, as he rarely seemed comfortable with his shot positioning.

Around the trade deadline last year, there were rumors of him being on the move before he delivered the organization one more shutout to remember him by, shutting down talks for the remainder of the season. On March 20, 2022, the Rangers squared off against the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, and with the team weary following a game in Tampa Bay the previous night, it was on the Bulgarian to shoulder the load in goal; and the 26year-old responded with a 44 save shutout in a 2-0 victory.

The gem would only get him so far, as he reverted to his poultry ways in the spot starts that followed, and the brass decided it would be time to move on from a diamond they’d found in the rough.

“The Rangers gave me all I ever needed, which was a chance,” Georgiev said on Instagram following the trade to the Avalanche; “From getting the first NHL call-up and reading the letter to seeing this team become a contender to making a run at the cup. From playing in covid bubbles to having full stadiums with celebrities behind the bench, it’s been a journey full of memories.

And even if that journey wasn’t always smooth, it’s been an honor putting on that Jersey. Thank you to all the staff at the arenas who made you feel like part of a family. “A big THANK YOU to all passionate Rangers fans; it was incredible playing in front of you all.”

Thus far, Georgiev has faired well in his new home, entering Tuesday’s tilt anticipated matchup against Shesterkin 3-0-1 with a 2.76 GAA and a .908 save percentage. His time in New York was a tale of two halves, and it’ll be interesting to see which version we get in his homecoming. He may not have lasted long, but Alexander Georgiev did earn the fan’s respect, and sometimes, that’s all you need.

Question for Blue line Station readers: How did you view Alexander Georgiev’s time with the Rangers?

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Alexander Georgiev makes return to MSG for anticipated clash with Rangers.

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