The New York Rangers know they have to do something now that Igor Shesterkin is done for the season. When the superstar goaltender went down, so did the hopes of the Rangers contending for a Stanley Cup, unless they could find a suitable replacement.
This means New York is looking around the NHL marketplace for an inexpensive but suitable Plan B. They may have found on in Toronto.
Are the Rangers Looking at Anthony Stolarz?
NHL insider Darren Dreger noted on Wednesday’s episode of the Ray & Dregs Podcast: ”I think they’ve actually kicked tires on Anthony Stolarz.”
Stolarz is the backup in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs recently signed Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year deal to be their starter. Their chips are all in on Bobrovsky. While they like the combination of Bobrovsky and Stolarz, there is a world in which Stolarz becomes somewhat expendable. And, given his injury concerns and inconsistency, GM John Chayka may be willing to move Stolarz, assuming he can fill another hole and acquire a cheaper option in goal.
Would Stolarz Help the Rangers?
When he’s on, Stolarz is a solid goaltender. The question is whether he can play enough games to help the Rangers. Shesterkin was used heavily by New York as the team was built around him. He played 51 games in 2025-26 and 61 games in 2024-25. Conversely, Stolarz played 26 games last season and only 34 games the season before.
It would be a lot to ask for him to come into the Rangers organization and play nearly twice as many games as he has over the past couple of seasons.
The Rangers Do Have Options on the Market
The Rangers will lean on the duo they have, with a huge focus on Dylan Garand. “Obviously, Chris Drury is scouring the league, but it’s not with a sense of urgency or desperation because they do want to give Garadan an opportunity to see if they can run with this a little bit.”
Dreger mentioned that it’s too early to move Jordan Binnington in St. Louis. Ray Ferraro asked about Sam Montembeault in Montreal, to which Dreger responded, “Yeah, another one.”
Both Dreger and Ferraro seemed to think there are options out there for the Rangers.
Korpisalo is coming off an injury that is three weeks away, and there are questions about how often the team wants to play Spencer Martin in those three weeks. “It’s a lot to ask a goalie just learning the league, just getting his feet wet, to carry the team for a month.”
Both hosts believed that Connor Hellebuyck is not an option thanks to the contracts and how much money the Rangers would have on the books when Shesterkin is back and healthy. It’s not an easy trade to make to move Hellebuyck when both goalies are good to go. The option has to be cheaper and shorter-term.
Stolarz is somewhere in the middle. Does that make him a no-go for the Rangers or could he be a possible fit?
Rangers Kicking Tires on Trade For Maple Leafs Goaltender