The loss of Igor Shesterkin has hit the New York Rangers with the force of a hydrogen bomb.
As soon as the NHL world learned that the Blueshirts would be without their franchise goalie for the remainder of the season, speculation ramped up on social media about Connor Hellebuyck.
Yes, the Winnipeg Jets’ netminder would be a decent solution. But he’s not the guy the Rangers need right now. Without getting too much into the weeds, Hellebuyck has five more years remaining on his contract. He’s a long-term fit, and one that the Rangers don’t need.
What the club needs right now is someone who can step in this season and hold down the fort without the strings of a long-term commitment.
And it just so happens that guy is St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington.
My colleague Justin Bonhard first proposed the idea in this intriguing piece. And really, there’s no need to sell Chris Drury on Binnington. The Blues’ goalie is a proven winner at every level. And while we can debate the potential price tag for Binnington, there are two things that make “Binner” the right choice for the Rangers right now.
Binnington will be a UFA next summer
The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that Binnington’s contract is up this season. He’ll hit UFA status next summer, meaning that there are no strings attached to the 2019 Stanley Cup winner.
That’s fantastic because Shesterkin is locked into a long-term deal with the Rangers, and should be back next season.
Of course, the Rangers could re-sign Binnington after this season. But the terms and conditions would be much more favorable than what Hellebuyck’s contract could represent.
If the Rangers just wanted Binnington for this season, particularly with Joonas Korpisalo still on the books for one more year, the deal would actually make sense for everyone.
Binnington himself would stand to benefit, as hitting the bright lights of Broadway would considerably elevate his trade value.
Rangers will like Binnington’s cap hit
All right, so let’s dig into some math here.
Binnington comes with a $6 million cap hit. The Rangers, meanwhile, currently have just $97K in space. But that’s something that could, and will, have to change.
The first move will be to place Shesterkin on season-ending LTIR. However, only $3.22 million of his $11.5 million will convert into cap relief. Cole Beaudoin’s $941K will also come off the books.
So, that’s about $4 million in space. That situation means that another $2 million will have to come off the books.
Perhaps the Blues might be willing to take Braden Schneider? Otherwise, Drury will have to move a couple of other pieces to make the whole thing work.
Still, there is no question that Binnington’s cap hit is fantastic, considering the going rate for some stars today. And with a little creativity, the Blues might have the solution to the Rangers’ problem.
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