si
The New York Rangers have faced a season-long battle with injuries, and their goaltending depth has been hit especially hard. Dylan Garand, who did not make the team out of training camp and cleared waivers to join the Hartford Wolf Pack, was recalled just days into the regular season after Joonas Korpisalo was placed on injured reserve with a foot infection. Soon after, Igor Shesterkin suffered a lower-body injury that the team described as season-ending, forcing Garand into the No. 1 role. He has appeared in 11 consecutive games out of necessity.
Help could be on the way, though. Korpisalo, who recently began skating on his own, is ramping up his activity. According to Mollie Walker of the New York Post Sports, Korpisalo has been sent to Hartford to begin conditioning, and he is expected to start in goal tonight against the Hershey Bears. After the game, the team will reevaluate and determine the next step.
Walker noted that Nov. 7 was the approximate target date for Korpisalo's return to the Rangers. That could mean a start that evening against the Seattle Kraken or on Nov. 9 against the Edmonton Oilers—a particularly difficult matchup for a return.
Key Analysis
This is a significant development for the Rangers. Finding a capable partner for Garand is imperative if the team hopes to get its season back on track. The schedule has provided some leeway, with only one back-to-back set so far and ample breaks between games. Korpisalo was identified by general manager Chris Drury as the best option to back up Shesterkin after Jonathan Quick announced his retirement near the end of last season. The decision was not universally praised—taking on his contract and trading assets to the Boston Bruins to acquire him—but the veteran netminder will soon have a chance to prove doubters wrong. He should represent a sizable upgrade over James Reimer, who was signed and thrust into a tough spot starting against the Los Angeles Kings but lasted only one period before being pulled. In his career, Korpisalo has a .900 save percentage and a 3.06 goals-against average, with 302 starts in 334 appearances. If he can perform near that level, New York will be thrilled; the team knows neither he nor Garand is at Shesterkin's level, but league-average goaltending will keep them competitive in the Metropolitan Division.