The New York Rangers are exploring their options on the goaltending market with Igor Shesterkin out for the season. The good thing is that there isn't too much urgency for them, considering Dylan Garand is playing well. As it turns out, the Rangers could actually get the goaltending market moving, which would correlate with the Connor Hellebuyck trade saga.
Before training camp, Hellebuyck publicly requested a trade off of the Winnipeg Jets, and has been suspended by the team. There hasn't been much movement until recently. The Rangers aren't a logical landing spot for Hellebuyck given the term remaining on his contract and the high asking price the Jets have. But, it could create a domino effect.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been linked as a potential destination for Hellebuyck. Could that open the door for the Rangers to pry away their goalie, Brandon Bussi?
Could Brandon Bussi be a trade target for Rangers if Hurricanes trade for Connor Hellebuyck?
The Athletic's Vince Mercogliano discussed the Rangers' potential goaltending plans for this season. While discussing the Hurricanes potentially landing Hellebuyck, Mercogliano posits whether or not general manager Chris Drury would reach out to see what it would take to acquire Bussi. But, they bring up that the Hurricanes have the cap space to keep Hellebuyck and Bussi on the roster.
Still, it is something worth thinking about. The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup last year, with Bussi filling in late in the series for Frederik Andersen to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights. In four starts, Bussi recorded a .931 save percentage and a 1.60 goals allowed average while leading the Hurricanes to three wins.
This season, Bussi started in five games, putting up a 2-2-1 record, a .881 save percentage, and a 2.98 goals allowed average. Bussi is splitting time with Pyotr Kochetkov, who has a 6-0-0 record, a .899 save percentage, and a 1.98 goals allowed average.
If the Hurricanes were to add Hellebuyck, then one of the two goalies on the roster would have to go. They could obviously look to keep Bussi, considering how he bailed them out of a tricky situation in the Stanley Cup Final back in June. But with Hellebuyck under contract through the 2030-31 season, with an annual salary of $8.5 million per year, he's going to be their long-term goaltending option.
Brandon Bussi would be a cheaper goaltending option for Rangers as compared to other options they are currently linked to
If, and we stress if, Bussi is a viable option for the Rangers, he would be a cheaper option than the other goaltenders they've been linked to as of late.
Bussi signed a three-year, $5.7 million contract extension, which kick in this season, and runs through the summer of 2029. At $1.9 million per year, it would make for a more ideal cap situation, especially once Shesterkin returns next season.
The Rangers were notably linked to Karel Vejmelka of the Utah Mammoth and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen of the Buffalo Sabres. Vejmelka is getting paid $4.75 million per year through the 2029-30 season. As for Luukkonen, he is set to make the same amount annually, but through the 2028-29 season. Those are pretty substantial commitments for the Rangers to make, and both are by no means elite goaltenders.
The good thing for the Rangers is that they don't really have to rush into making a move, as the team is still winning games with Garand in net. Of course, things could change if the Rangers hit a rough stretch of losses at some point. The team can go a variety of different directions in terms of finding a goaltender, but the potential of Bussi being made available if the Hurricanes trade for Hellebucyk does make for an intriguing option.
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