A combination of goalie revivals, the brilliance of Rangers director of goaltending Benoit Allaire, and solid management decisions have contributed to this success.

Quick, the all-time NHL leader among United States-born goalies in wins, tops this list. He signed a one-year deal with his favorite childhood team on July 1, 2023, and has had a career renaissance since. After starting 9-0-1 in his first 10 games last season, the 38-year-old’s dominance in net eventually earned him another one-year deal to return as Igor Shesterkin’s backup this season.

Quick ended last season with an 18-6-2 record, two shutouts, and a .911 save percentage This season, Quick has picked up right where he left off. After recording back-to-back shutouts against the Detroit Red Wings and Seattle Kraken, Quick is 4-0-0 with a microscopic 0.91 goals-against average and .970 save percentage in five games (four starts).

The three-time Stanley Cup champion has aged like fine wine and is three wins away from 400. He would become the first U.S.-born goalie to reach this milestone and just the 15th in League history.

It’s easy to make the case that the Shesterkin-Quick pair is the best goalie tandem in the NHL.

Quick is simply carrying the torch for a string of excellent backup goalies have had since the Lundqvist era.

Related: Jonathan Quick’s classy move tops off rookie goalie’s big night after Flames defeat Rangers

After Jonathan Quick, top 5 Rangers backup goalies in past 2 decades

Let’s break down the top five backup goalies in the past two decades for the Rangers, other than Quick.

5. Steve Valiquette

Now the face of Rangers pre- and post-game coverage on MSG Networks, Steve Valiquette made his Rangers debut in the 2003-04 season, but made his mark as Lundqvist’s backup from 2007-09. He played 28 games those two seasons and was 10-8-5 with three shutouts. In 2007-08, he had an NHL career-best 2.19 GAA and .916 save percentage in 13 games (10 starts).

In all, he played 41 games for the Rangers into the 2009-10 season, his last in the NHL.

4. Martin Biron

Martin Biron played 16 NHL seasons with the Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, and Buffalo Sabres. He joined the Rangers at the start of 2010-11 to back up Lundqvist. Although he played only 17 games that season, Biron posted NHL career bests in save percentage (.923) and goals-against average (2.13)

The Quebec native finished his NHL career with the Rangers. He had a 22-15-3 record in New York with two shutouts, a .908 save percentage and 2.47 GAA. He and Lundqvist were a standout veteran duo who became good friends during Biron’s tenure with the Rangers.

Biron now works on Sabres broadcasts, RDS in Quebec and NHL Radio Network.

3. Alexandar Georgiev

Alexandar Georgiev was a Lundqvist backup and then split time with The King and later Igor Shesterkin. Georgiev was a serviceable goalie during five seasons with the Rangers, before moving on to become a workhorse in Coloroado as the No. 1 with the Avalanche.

He recorded a .908 save percentage in 129 games with the Rangers, playing a lot more than backups did during Lundqvist’s busy heyday. Georgiev ended up being more than a backup, really a 1B, but was never fully a No. 1 with the Rangers.

2. Antti Raanta

Antti Raanta spent two seasons with the Rangers after the team acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015. He served as Lundqvist’s backup in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Raanta was 27-14-4 in 55 games (44 starts) in two seasons, with a 2.25 GAA , .921 save percentage, and five shutouts. Raanta recorded an NHL career-high four shutouts in 26 starts in 2016-17.

In a shocking trade before the 2017 NHL Draft, the Rangers sent Raanta and Derek Stepan to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Tony DeAngelo and the No. 7 pick, which was used to select disappointing center Lias Andersson. He left the NHL after playing with the Carolina Hurricanes last season.

1. Cam Talbot

There was one clear answer for the best Rangers backup goalie in the Henrik Lundqvist era. Cam Talbot emerged on the scene in New York after Biron retired once the 2013-14 season started. Talbot was 12-6-1 as a rookie with a 1.64 goals against average and a .941 save percentage.

Talbot really emerged the following season after Lundqvist ruptured a blood vessel in his neck in February. He started 23 of 25 games when Lunqvist was sidelined, winning 16. He finished the 2014-15 season with a 17-4-3 record and a lower goals against average (2.21) and save percentage (.926) than Lundqvist. However, it was Lundqvist who led them in the playoffs to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

Still, Talbot’s emergence as the starter was crucial to the Rangers winning the Presidents’ Trophy that season. He was awarded the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award for his play. After the season, Talbot was traded to the Edmonton Oilers to be their No. 1.

This is the 606th all-time meeting between the teams, and first of two this week, with the Rangers traveling to Detroit for a rematch Thursday at Little Caesars Arena. The Rangers are 229-264-9 with 103 ties all-time against the Red Wings, but 9-1-2 in their past 12 meetings.

The Rangers are 1-0-1 to begin the 2024-25 season, coming off a wild 6-5 overtime loss in their home opener Saturday against the Utah Hockey Club. Artemi Panarin had two goals in the defeat and leads New York with four points.

The Red Wings (1-1-0) are coming off a 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators after a dreadful 6-3 loss on opening night to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Former Rangers goalie Cam Talbot made 42 saves in his first Red Wings start to earn his 32nd NHL shutout Saturday.

Related: Rangers coah impressed with Adam Edstrom’s first-ever fight

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Red Wings

1. Back to basics

After aborting their structure to play run-and-gun hockey with Utah over the weekend, expect the Rangers to tighten up against the Red Wings. Adm Fox noted that Utah seems to thrive on chaos and wide-open hockey, and the Rangers were sucked into it Saturday, though they did settle down in the third period.

The Rangers had some early defensive gaffes early on against the Penguins, too, but imposed their will in an eventual 6-0 win. Chris Kreider noted that the Rangers have hung goalie Igor Shesterkin out to dry too often in the first two games.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette was clear where he stands in his pregame comments Monday.

“It’s another good test for us to calm things down, quiet things down, with regard to defense,” Laviolette said.

2. Rangers reunion

The Red Wings have three former Rangers on their roster, including defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who returns to New York for the first time since signing a two-year, $4 million contract with Detroit on July 1. The defenseman played 76 games with the Rangers and had 31 points (six goals, 25 points) last season. He’s been replaced by Zac Jones on the third pair.

Gustafsson is off to a rocky start in Detroit. After posting an assist and a minus-2 rating in the season opener, Gustafsson was a healthy scratch against the Predators.

Talbot, of course, began his NHL career with the Rangers and played in the NHL All-Star Game last season as a member of the Los Angeles Kings. He relieved Ville Husso on opening night and then was outstanding in his first start against the Predators.

The Red Wings also have Vladimir Tarasenko. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is on his third team after leaving New York following the 2022-23 season, when he was acquired before the trade deadline. Tarasenko, it should be noted, scored the series-winning goal for the Florida Panthers against the Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final last spring.

Then there’s Patrick Kane and Andrew Copp, each of whom played briefly for the Rangers. Kane, by the way, is searching for his first point of the season.

Former #NYR Erik Gustafsson is here saying hello to the guys pic.twitter.com/KpBLZIbWAt

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) October 14, 2024

3. Third-line consistency

It’s only two games into the new season, but the Rangers’ third line of Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko has looked really good, so far. That line has dominated puck possession and scoring chances against the opposition, and each player is a team-leading plus-4 through two games.

Cuylle is tied for second on the Rangers with three points (one goal, two assists) and been a huge physical presence, though he’s already been penalized twice for goalie interference. Chytil has one goal and Kakko is tied for third on the Rangers with six shots on goal.

This threesome has been a handful on the forecheck and equally responsible defensively. Let’s see if they can fill the net Monday.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Brodzinski

Miller – Fox

Schneider – Trouba

Jones – Mancini

Shesterkin

Quick

Check back for updates after Rangers coach Peter Laviolette meets with the media Monday morning.

Rangers vs. Red Wings: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers Detroit Red Wings

Where: Madison Square Garden

When: Monday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. ET

How to Watch: MSG

Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results

After 20 years as goalie coach with the Rangers, Allaire stepped aside from those day-to-day duties, though he remains Director of Goaltending for the organization. He was officially replaced as goalie coach last week by Jeff Malcolm, who worked under Allaire in the same position with Hartford of the American Hockey League for the past several seasons.

While the 60-year-old will remain with the organization, Allaire will no longer be with the team every day, ending a nearly unprecedented two-decades run of success in the Big Apple.

Since joining the Rangers, Allaire’s been one of the most well-respected teachers of hockey’s most crucial position, earning the nickname “The Goalie Whisperer.” He helped shape the careers of Vezina Trophy winners Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin, developed once unheralded Rangers backups into bonafide NHL starters (see: Cam Talbot, Antti Raanta, and Alexander Georgiev), and most recently helped revitalize the previously sputtering career of three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Quick.

Related: Ranking where Rangers goalies stand among top NHL tandems

Benoit Allaire’s amazing 20-year run as ‘Goalie Whisperer’ with Rangers

Allaire’s incredible run of success will be a tough act for Malcolm to follow this season.

Let’s take a look at some of Allaire’s biggest hits since 2004.

Legend of Lundqvist

Lundqvist is the greatest goalie in Rangers history. And he played his entire NHL career with Allaire as his position coach.

He won the Vezina Trophy as top NHL goalie in 2011-12 and was a finalist four other times in his career, voted the runner-up in 2012-13. His No. 30 hangs in the rafters at Madison Square Garden — no Rangers player will ever wear it again.

Holding nearly every franchise goaltending record, Lundqvist’s line of work as the sixth winningest goalie in NHL history (459 wins) speaks for itself. A first-ballot Hockey Hall of Famer, you could make the argument that whoever had the pleasure of working alongside “The King” for 15 seasons in New York would benefit from his consistently elite play.

However, Lundqvist’s career began without much fanfare. Selected in the seventh round (No. 205 overall) in the 2000 NHL Draft, the Rangers took a chance on what they saw as untapped potential from the three-time Honken Trophy-winning goalie (Sweden’s Vezina equivalent) from Frolunda HC.

After arriving in New York in 2005, it was Allaire whom Lundqvist credited with tapping into that potential and creating the finished product that stood on the podium accepting election into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on his first year of eligibility last November.

“There’s one coach I want to thank a little extra tonight, my goalie coach for 15 years, Benoit Allaire,” said Lundqvist during his Hall of Fame induction speech. “He’s incredible. Thinking back, every day, you inspired me in so many ways and you made it fun. The best coach and best friend you could ask for.”

Statistical supremacy

While one could attempt to make the Belichick-Brady style argument regarding whether coach or player deserves more credit when it comes to Lundqvist, Allaire’s body of work beyond his star pupil solidifies his own case as a Hockey Hall of Famer, and demonstrates his incomparable impact in Rangers history.

Since his first full season on the Blueshirts’ staff in 2005-06 (no season in 2004-05 due to lockout), the organization has enjoyed a consistent place among the League’s top goaltending units year after year.

In 20 seasons with Allaire, the Rangers have finished within the top-10 in the NHL for goals-against average 13 times, including in the top-5 nine times, and top-3 three times. This includes a second place finish as a team with a 2.49 GAA in 2021-22.

Similarly, the Blueshirts have finished top-10 in save percentage 13 times, including top-5 eight times, and top-3 twice — finishing first in Shesterkin’s Vezina winning year of 2021-22 (.921).

In today’s world of advanced stats and analytics, Allaire’s ability to get the most out of his goalies is even more evident.

According to MoneyPuck.com, which began tracking analytics in the 2008-09 season, Rangers goaltenders has been top-10 in the League for Goals-Against Above Expected 12 different times, in the top-5 seven times, and top-3 once as the second best in the NHL with a whopping 22.38 goals-against below expected in 2009-10.

These rankings are similar when looking at save percentage above expected on unblocked shots as well, where the Rangers were top-10 12 times, including top-5 eight times and top-3 once — coming in second in 2009-10 with a 0.65 percent above expected.

In fact, there have been just three seasons in Allaire’s entire tenure when the Rangers were sub-average when it comes to these categories, and it all came between 2017-18 and 2020-21 in the immediate aftermath of “The Letter,” a self-imposed rebuild era. 

Benoit’s backups

With seven different head coaches behind the bench since Allaire’s arrival in New York, his reliable approach and consistent impact has allowed him to withstand six prior coaching changes.

On the ice, many Rangers backups who worked with Allaire have gone on to have stable careers as starters elsewhere. Most notably is Cam Talbot, whose play in 2014-15 helped carry the Rangers through a potentially disastrous stretch without Lundqvist, who sustained a vascular injury after being hit in the neck with a shot.

Talbot’s 34-21-9 record in 36 games that season helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy and propelled him into a starting role with the Edmonton Oilers the following season. He has since gone on to play for the Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, and most recently Los Angeles Kings. The two-time NHL All-Star who has 245 career wins and a lifetime .914 save percentage will play for the Detroit Red Wings this season.

Not bad for an undrafted free agent.

“If I didn’t sign with the Rangers out of college, I don’t know if I would have made it to the NHL,” Talbot told the Los Angeles Daily News in July 2023. “[Allaire] helped rebuild me, honed what skill I already had but also kind of took me back a little bit. I played a lot more like Jonathan Quick coming out of college than Henrik Lundqvist, so he kind of found that happy medium.”

Unheralded Steve Valiquette became a serviceable backup under Allaire’s guidance. Raanta was solid as a backup and then successfully took on a larger role with the Carolina Hurricanes. Georgiev was the first to replace Lundqvist in New York and is now the No. 1 for the Colorado Avalanche.

The common thread in their time with the Rangers? Benoit Allaire.

“[Allaire] deserves all the accolades,” Talbot told Forever Blueshirts at the 2024 NHl All-Star Game. “You see all the goalies he’s produced through the pipeline that spring-boarded to starting jobs around the NHL. It’s pretty crazy how many guys he’s been able to develop under Hank that moved on and became a No. 1 somewhere else.”

Related: Rangers goalies past, present shine on All-Star stage with Shesterkin, Talbot, Georgiev 

Quick revival

Allaire’s latest masterpiece was on display just this past season, as the previously dominant Quick was coming off a years-long slide from his All-Star form of the mid-2010s.

In 2022-23, the former Team USA Olympic starter finished at 16-15-6, with career lows in save percentage (.882) and goals-against average (3.41). In March 2023, he was shipped from his only NHL home in Los Angeles, and served third on the depth chart behind Adin Hill and Laurent Brossoit during the Vegas Golden Knights’ postseason run to the Stanley Cup.

With rumors swirling about the potential for retirement, the Milford, Connecticut, native joined his favorite childhood team on Broadway. With Allaire’s help, Quick turned back the clock to post an 18-6-2 record with a .911 save percentage and 2.62 GAA with the Blueshirts, his best showing in both categories since 2017-18. It earned him a one-year, $1.275 million contract extension before the 2023-24 campaign was even completed.

“[Allaire] does a great job of simplifying things so that they don’t come across in a confusing way,” Quick said in November. “It’s very clear-cut in what he wants to see out of his goalies in different situations. The communication’s been great.” 

Rise of The Czar

While Quick kept the Rangers afloat during Shesterkin’s mid-season struggles, the Blueshirts’ “Czar” eventually regained his form and finished 2023-24 at 36-17-2 with a respectable .913 save percentage and 2.58 GAA before elevating his game to backstop an incredible run to the Eastern Conference Final, when he was 10-6 with a .927 save percentage and 2.34 GAA during the postseason.

The turnaround in Shesterkin’s season came when he spent extra time working with Allaire around the NHL All-Star break. Shesterkin followed by playing his best and most consistent hockey the rest of the season.

Coincidence? Not likely.

Going from Lundqvist to Shesterkin shows just how spoiled the Rangers have been in goal over the past two decades, and Allaire has his fingerprints all over that success.

His ability to help goalies reach their potential and find their game during times of struggle is a major reason for the Blueshirts long-time prosperity at the position. His adaptability to different styles of goaltending is also key. As is his ever-present smile and cheerful approach to his job.

“[He’s helped me with] everything,” Shesterkin told The Athletic. “He can always find a way to help you. I still don’t speak English so good, so sometimes I don’t understand something. But he always finds a way to explain things to me, he always wants us to be having fun, smiling. When your mood is good, everything should be OK.”

That fun-loving style has given Rangers fans many reasons to smile as well over the years.

While Allaire may not desire the spotlight, largely staying behind the scenes to conduct his work, he has given numerous goaltenders the opportunity to steal the spotlight in their careers.

This can be traced back to even his pre-Rangers days, when Allaire helped turn Sean Burke, a Phoenix Coyotes goalie with a career .895 save percentage and 3.21 GAA over 500+ NHL games, into a Vezina Trophy finalist in consecutive seasons. Burke, himself, is now the Director of Goaltending for the Golden Knights.

It’s just part of Allaire’s lasting legacy. One that leaves a massive void and huge shoes for Malcolm to fill.

What better time to have some fun?

Though this year’s free agency was a bit of a dud for the Rangers, history shows us that hasn’t always been the case. In fact, the Rangers have historically made some big splashes when it comes to signing free agents, so we’re going to make the best roster we can solely with that pool of players.

We tried to put a focus on what the player did during his time in New York, so some big-time names like Guy Lafleur and Markus Naslund, for example, didn’t quite make the list because their best days were with other teams.

When going through this list, it was surprising how few impact defensemen the Rangers have signed over their near 100-year existence, leaving some tough choices of who even deserved to make this list.

Lastly, this roster consists mostly of players from the 1990s on, though that was more due to player movement being limited before the era of free agency expanded about 30 years ago.

WATCH: Exclusive 1-on-1 interview with former Rangers goalie John Vanbiesbrouck

Best all-time Rangers lineup consisting of free-agent additions

Forwards

Line 1: Artemi Panarin (2019) – Wayne Gretkzy (1996) – Marian Gaborik (2009)

What a first line that would be. 

Panarin is arguably (if there’s an argument at all) the best free-agent signing in Blueshirts history. He has 461 points in 350 games with the Rangers, including 120 in 2023-24, second most in a single Rangers season.

Gaborik likely had the title as best free-agent signing before Panarin’s arrival. His departure ahead of the 2013 trade deadline — and subsequent Stanley Cup win with the Los Angeles Kings at the expense of the Rangers in 2014 — soured the feeling towards No. 10, but the talented forward still posted two 40-goal seasons during the three full seasons he played in New York.

Gretzky’s best days were clearly behind him when he arrived in 1996, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he wasn’t a top-tier player. He had back-to-back 90-point seasons his first two years on Broadway, and had a great playoff run with the Rangers in 1997. All told, he had 249 points in 234 games with the Blueshirts to close out his NHL career.

Line 2: Adam Graves (1991) – Mark Messier (2000) – Brendan Shanahan (2006)

Talk about a tough trio that combined equal parts skill and physicality.

Graves arrived in New York as a free agent in 1991, back when compensation was required when a player was signed, at the expense of Troy Mallette! The wildly popular forward posted four 30-goal seasons, including a then record-setting 52 during the Stanley Cup season of 1993-94. He’s an all-time great Ranger whose No. 9 hangs at Madison Square Garden.

We’re cheating a little bit here getting Messier on the list due to his return to New York after a three-year stint with the Vancouver Canucks. Clearly this version wasn’t as successful as the first, when he was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in a 1991 trade and led the Rangers to the Cup in 1994, but Messier was still a mostly-decent middle-six center despite being in his 40s. He had a 24-goal season in 2000-01 and back-to-back 18-goal campaigns before he called it a career in 2004.

Like Messier, Shanahan’s best days were behind him, but he still had a lot left in the tank and changed the complexion of the Rangers upon his arrival in 2006, adding grit and sandpaper to a team that had been swept by the New Jersey Devils in the 2005-06 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Shanahan scored 52 goals in his 140 games with the Rangers, impressive totals for a player in his late 30s. Arguably the lasting image of Shanahan’s time as a Ranger was him fighting feared enforcer Donald Brashear in December 2006.

Line 3: Mats Zuccarello (2010) – Mark Pavelich (1981) – Theo Fleury (1999)

Three small forwards, each under 5-foot-8, make up this line that had plenty of pop.

One of the most popular Rangers of the past 25 years, Zuccarello was a mainstay in New York during the franchise’s most successful period since the Cup year in the mid 90s. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Norway, Zuccarello totaled 352 points in 509 games, and he won the Steven McDonald Award for his “extra effort.”

Pavelich’s numbers are certainly a product of his era, but his numbers don’t lie. He began his NHL career after playing a big role on the United States’ “Miracle On Ice” team in 1980 with back-to-back 30-goal seasons and flirted with point-per-game-numbers during his five seasons in New York, which included a five-goal game in 1983. His 76 points during his rookie year of 1981-82 remains a franchise record to this day.

Fleury’s time in New York coincided with one of the worst stretches in franchise history, not to mention his own personal issues. That clouds the minds of Rangers fans who lump him into signings that didn’t pan out. Though he wasn’t the player he was in Calgary, the 5-foot-6 winger scored more than 63 points in each of his three seasons with the Rangers, including a 30-goal, 74-point campaign in 2000-01, the height of the dead puck era.

Line 4: Martin Straka (2005) – Brad Richards (2011) – Anders Hedberg (1978)  

Straka could be one of the most underrated players during the Rangers’ renaissance in the late 2000s. He had two straight 20-goal seasons, including 29 in 2006-07, and was a mainstay on the “Czech Line” and power play. All told, he had 187 points in 224 games with the Blueshirts. Not bad for a journeyman in his mid 30s.

Richards never lived up to the hype of his massive contract, but he was still a useful player for the Rangers, who immediately turned a corner following his addition in the summer of 2011. Richards scored 25 goals — just three shy of his NHL career-best — his first season in New York, when the Rangers reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1997. After a down year in 2013, Richards turned in another 20-goal season to help the Rangers make it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014. He finished with 151 points in 210 games with the Blueshirts, and added 28 points in 55 postseason contests.

Hedberg arrived in 1978 after a successful career in both Europe and the WHA. All he did was score 30 goals four times during his Broadway tenure and help the Rangers reach the 1979 Stanley Cup Final. The talented Swede, who came to New York as a package deal with center Ulf Nilsson, played his entire NHL career with the Blueshirts, amassing 397 points in 465 games from 1978-79 through 1984-85.

Related: 10 most underrated Rangers all-time

Defensemen

1st D pair: Darius Kasparaitis (2002) – Dan Girardi (2006)

Kasparaitis bridged the gap between The Dark Ages and the Renaissance. The hard-hitting defenseman arrived for the 2002-03 campaign and was an alternate captain during the 2005-06 season, when Kasparitis introduced the Stick Salute after Rangers wins, something the team still does to this day. His time with the Rangers ended during the 2006-07 season, when he was waived and eventually loaned to a team in the KHL, thus ending his NHL career.

While he’s looked at in mostly unfavorable terms from the Twitter crowd, Girardi was a gritty defenseman in the same mold as current Rangers blueliner Ryan Lindgren. He was a key part of Rangers teams that had their longest run of success this side of the 1994 Stanley Cup. Girardi, who was signed as an undrafted free agent, rose from the ECHL all the way to becoming an NHL All Star. In parts of 11 seasons, Girardi averaged more than 22 minutes of ice time per game and missed the playoffs just once during his tenure. Here’s hoping that with time, Girardi gets the credit he so deserves from Rangers fans.

2nd D pair: Bruce Driver (1995) – Anton Stralman (2011)

Former Devils never seem to work out for the Rangers, and it’s more of a testament to the slim pickings than Driver’s success in New York that he’s on this list. After 12 season in New Jersey, Driver signed with the Rangers as a 33-year-old before the 1995-96 season. He spent three seasons in New York and was a mostly-serviceable bottom-four blueliner. His high point was 37 points his first season as a Ranger.

Stralman was the analytics darling of those mid-2010s teams, though largely underrated, too. He played three steady seasons in New York, helping the Rangers advance to two conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final in 2014. 

3rd D pair: Marek Malik (2005) – Michal Roszival (2005)

Malik somewhat defines the Tom Renney post-lockout Rangers, thanks in large part to his legendary shootout goal in the 15th round against the Washington Capitals at the start of the 2005-06 season. But he was a fine bottom-four defenseman who was likely used more out of necessity than anything else. 

Another lynchpin of the Renney era, Roszival was a mainstay on those post-lockout teams that always snuck into the playoffs but were never really a threat. The offensive-defenseman turned in some strong seasons with the Rangers, including a 40-point campaign in 2006-07. His most memorable moment in New York was his overtime-winner in the second round against the Buffalo Sabres in the 2007 playoffs. He finished with 176 points in 436 games with the Rangers.

Goalies

Goalies: Chuck Rayner (1950) and Cam Talbot (2010)

We’re going way back for this one, but it’s hard to keep a goalie who won the Hart Trophy off this list. Rayner never finished with a winning record but did lead the Rangers to the 1950 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in Game 7. Had they won that game, 1940 would have never been a thing. Rayner was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.

Talbot signed with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and worked his way up from the ECHL. He made his NHL debut in 2013-14 as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup and finished that season with 12-6-1 record, terrific 1.64 goals-against average and sterling .941 save percentage., But it was the following season that earns Talbot a spot on this list. He was 21-9-4 in 2014-15, including a spectacular run when Lundqvist missed a chunk of time due to injury. His performance helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy, and he won the Steven McDonald Award. Talbot finished his two seasons with the Rangers 33-15-5 with a .931 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average.

Wennberg is a nice complementary player, a third-line center with the Blueshirts after being acquired from the Seattle Kraken before the 2024 NHL trade deadline. He plays smart and hard, and his professionalism will rub off on the Sharks youngsters, notably No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini.

So, there is reason to like this signing for San Jose.

But at $5 million per season?

He’s topped 13 goals once (17 in 2020-21 with the Florida Panthers) in 10 NHL seasons, and showed zero scoring touch in 35 games with the Rangers (19 regular-season games, 16 postseason games) when he scored once on an actual shot and then once in overtime of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final when he went to the crease and the puck deflected off his chest and into the net.

He’s been give top-six minutes throughout his career and never done much with it. And he’s abysmal in the face-off circle, never winning at least 50 percent of his draws in a season. In 712 NHL games, Wennberg has a 46.2 percent face-off winning percentage.

His previous contract had a $4.5 million AAV, so, at 29, you can argue the veteran should get a raise. But really, based on what? By comparison, Reilly Smith, a Stanley Cup champion who’s thrived in the postseason throughout his career and has five 20-goal seasons and whom the Rangers acquired in a trade Monday, makes $5 million a season. a contract he signed two years ago at age 31.

Nonetheless, a good day for the Wennberg family, and for Barclay Goodrow, another former Rangers forward who’ll now have a familiar face to connect with in San Jose this season.

Related: Have Rangers found Barclay Goodrow replacement in NHL free agency?

Patrick Kane, Erik Gustafsson among former Rangers to sign contracts in free agency

Wennberg wasn’t the only former Rangers player to land on his feet when free agency started Monday.

Future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane never made it to the open market. The three-time Stanley Cup champion re-signed with the Detroit Red Wings on a one-year, $4 million contract with $2.5 million in bonuses. He reportedly had interest in a Rangers reunion, after playing with them after the 2023 trade deadline when he was hobbled by a hip injury that required surgery. But the Red Wings signed Kane before the Rangers had a chance to negotiate with him.

Erik Gustafsson will join Kane in Detroit after agreeing to a two-year, $4 million contract. The 32-year-old defenseman was a regular on the Rangers third pair this past season and moved up when Adam Fox missed 10 games in November with a knee injury. Gustafsson finished with 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) in his only season wearing the Blueshirt.

Another former Rangers player also signed with the Red Wings on Monday. Veteran goalie Cam Talbot, an NHL All-Star with the Los Angeles Kings last season, signed a two-year deal to play for his seventh team since the start of the 2018-19 season.

Reilly Smith’s brother, former Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith, left the New Jersey Devils to sign a one-year deal with the Dallas Stars.

Closer to home, former Rangers forward Anthony Duclair inked a four-year contract with the Islanders.

In fact, it can be argued that this combo is among the best in franchise history. Realizing what a good thing they have, the Rangers signed Quick to a one-year contract extension recently, making sure to keep their goalies together next season.

As good as they’ve been, though, just how do Shesterkin and Quick stack up against the best goalie tandems in franchise history?

We’ll examine where they rank, keeping in mind goalie tandems really weren’t a thing for the first 40 years of their history. In 1939-40 when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup, for example, Dave Kerr played every minute in all 48 games. Gump Worsley and Marcel Paille split the 70 starts almost down the middle in 1957-58, but that was an anomaly.

Related: Rangers icon Mark Messier ‘all in’ on Matt Rempe

New York Rangers all-time top 5 goalie tandems

5. Mike Richter and Glenn Healy

Richter and Healy could land on this list for the mere fact that they were the goalie tandem when the Rangers ended a 54-year drought and won the Stanley Cup in 1994. Richter won 42 games that season and Healy added 10 wins, after leading the Islanders on an improbable run to the Eastern Conference Final in 1993.

The two remained partners for three more seasons after the Cup win and Healy actually put up better numbers in the post Cup years than in 1993-94. Healy played more games (44-41) than Richter in 1995-96 because of Richter’s injury, though No. 35 still posted more wins.

In their final season as a tandem, Richter and Healy helped lead the Rangers to the 1997 Eastern Conference Final, before losing to the New Jersey Devils.

4. Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick

It’s been less than one season, but Shesterkin and Quick have formed an outstanding partnership in 2023-24. When Shesterkin missed some time early in the season, Quick stepped up and kept the train rolling along with a 9-0-1 start to his Rangers career. And when Shesterkin needed some time to work on his game before and after the All-Star break, Quick was there again to pick up important wins and get a 10-game winning streak started.

On any given night, coach Peter Laviolette gets to choose between a Vezina Trophy winner in Shesterkin and a three-time Stanley Cup champion in Quick. Not many coaches have such a quality option.

Shesterkin and Quick will get to run it back together next season now that Quick agreed to a one-year contract extension.

3. Henrik Lundqvist and Cam Talbot

During 15 seasons on Broadway, Lundqvist had a string of excellent goalie partners. They ranged from Kevin Weekes and Steve Valiquette early in his career to Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin later on, with Marty Biron and Antti Raanta mixed in, as well.

Lundqvist played 70 or more games four times and typically was over 60 starts a season in his heyday. That said, Biron and Raanta, in particular, stood out with their terrific play in limited duty.

But The King formed his best partnership with Talbot in 2013-14 and 2014-15. That first season, Talbot was more than a capable backup as a rookie, winning 12 games, with a terrific 1.64 goals-against average and insane .941 save percentage. Lundqvist ultimately led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final that season, where they lost in five games to Quick and the Los Angeles Kings.

The following season, Talbot played 36 games after Lundqvist sustained the first serious injury of his career. Talbot won 21 games, Lundqvist 30 and the Rangers captured the Presidents’ Trophy before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.

2. John Vanbiesbrouck and Mike Richter

Two of the most accomplished goalies in franchise history teamed up for four seasons, beginning with the 1989-90 season. Vanbiesbrouck was an established star and Vezina Trophy winner by the time Richter arrived, and the pair formed the backbone for several very good Rangers teams.

Vanbiesbrouck and Richter helped lead the Rangers to a first-place finish in the Patrick Division their first season together and a second-place finish in 1990-91. Vanbiesboruck took the lead in 1989-90 and Richter made a handful more starts the following season. “Beezer” and Richter even teamed up for the United States at the 1991 Canada Cup.

In 1991-92, coach Roger Neilson alternated his goalies throughout the regular season – each started 41 games – and the plan paid huge dividends. The Rangers won 50 games (Vanibesrouck 27 wins, Richter 23) and the Presidents’ Trophy before being stunned by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs. 

Following a team-wide collapse in 1992-93, Vanbiesbrouck was claimed in the expansion draft by the Florida Panthers and Richter led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup championship in 1994.

1. Ed Giacomin and Gilles Villemure

The standard by which all Rangers goalie tandems strive to match. Giacomin, a Hall-of-Fame goalie whose No. 1 is retired by the Rangers, and Villemure were each stars at the position, capable of handling the workload on their own. But coach/GM Emile Francis rightly saw the Rangers were better utilizing each instead of leaning on only one.

From the 1970-71 season, when they shared the Vezina Trophy, through 1974-75, Giacomin and Villemure provided the Rangers with a one-two combo in net unmatched in the League. Each goalie played in three NHL All-Star games during their tenure together, including twice (1971 and 1973) in the same season.

Giacomin played roughly 10 more games per season than Villemure, except in their final one together when Villemure started 45. The Rangers made the playoffs in each of the pair’s five seasons together, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1972 and the playoff semifinals three times.

The Rangers goalie coach helped develop current Blueshirts netminder Igor Shesterkin and fellow All-Stars Cam Talbot and Alexandar Georgiev.

“I didn’t even think about that, the three of us here who all worked under Benny,” Talbot told Forever Blueshirts. “I always say, had I not signed with the Rangers out of college I don’t think I would have ever made the NHL. I give so much credit to Benoit Allaire for developing me for three years in the minors first and then when I did get called up, to be really patient with me.”

Like Shesterkin, Talbot, now playing for the Los Angeles Kings, is a two-time All-Star. Georgiev, the Colorado Avalanche goalie, made his first All-Star appearance this weekend and won the one-on-one challenge during the skills competition Friday, taking home a check for $100,000. Impressively, Georgiev stopped nine of 11 breakaway shots by Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid.

Related: Key Rangers storylines after 2024 NHL All-Star break

Rangers, goalie coach helped develop All-Stars Igor Shesterkin, Cam Talbot, Alexandar Georgiev

In a conversation with Forever Blueshirts, Georgiev acknowledged Allaire’s role in helping him become a No. 1 goalie in the NHL.

“Yeah, it’s incredible all of us here, and the respect he has in the League,” Georgiev said. “His understanding of the fundamentals are so sound and his positivity is a big thing. He creates a fun environment. It’s great, all the goalies that have had success under him, and I’m one of them.”

connor mcdavid got alexander georgiev for the one on one contest. pic.twitter.com/vVrNjJUva7

— zach (@zjlaing) February 3, 2024

Allaire is in his 20th season with the Rangers. He’s also been a goalie coach with the Phoenix Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens, counting Sean Burke, Nikolai Khabibulin and Brian Boucher as his success stories.

It’s in New York where Allaire has gained his biggest notoriety, though. Allaire coached Henrik Lundqvist for 15 seasons and is a big reason why Lundqvist was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2023.

But Lundqvist is not the only Rangers goalie to have benefitted from Allaire’s expertise and upbeat personality, as evidenced by Shesterkin, Talbot and Georgiev sharing the spotlight here in Toronto this weekend.

Rangers goalie coach Benoit Allaire ‘deserves all the accolades’ for work with Henrik Lundqvist, others

“He deserves all the accolades,” Talbot said. “You see all the goalies he’s produced through the pipeline that springboarded to starting jobs around the NHL. It’s pretty crazy how many guys he’s been able to develop under Hank that moved on and became a No. 1 somewhere else.”

Talbot was not selected in the NHL Draft, so the odds were stacked against him. But he developed quickly in the minors and then helped the Rangers reach the 2014 Stanley Cup Final by posting a 1.64 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in 21 games as Lundqvist’s rookie backup.

The following season, Talbot had increased playing time when Lundqvist was injured. He was 21-9-4 with a 2.21 GAA and .926 save percentage and helped the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy. He went on to become the No. 1 in Edmonton and now, at age 36, remains a top goalie in the League.

And Talbot still appreciates what Allaire did for him and his career more than a decade ago.

“He just sees the game from such a different perspective. And he’s just so positive and fun to play for,” Talbot explained. “Even if you have a bad game, he won’t show you the goal against. He’ll show you video of you doing that same exact thing the right way and making the save. That positive reinforcement just makes it so easy to play for him.”

There's no overtime winner if there's no Igor Shesterkin.

🚫 pic.twitter.com/DAbEofKcKT

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 24, 2023

Shesterkin and Georgiev will always be linked to each other and Allaire. Though Georgiev, undrafted like Talbot, arrived first on Broadway in 2017-18, it was Shesterkin who emerged as the heir apparent to Lundqvist. In 2021-22, Shesterkin became the second Rangers goalie (along with Lundqvist) to win the Vezina Trophy under Allaire’s tutelage. This weekend, Shesterkin helped Team Matthews win the All-Star game with some masterful work between the pipes.

“Igor was great,” coach Peter Laviolette said.

Georgiev’s final season in New York was the same as Shestekin’s Vezina campaign. He was traded to the Avalanche and has started more games than any NHL goalie since.

Looking back on that time when he was behind Shesterkin on the Rangers’ depth chart, Georgiev said simply, “We’re both professionals and that’s the situation that happened. Do my job, be a good teammate. … I try not to look in the past too much.”

Georgiev was more expansive when discussing Lundqvist’s Hall of Fame induction and what it was like to play alongside him from 2017-20.

“He’s one of the better hockey players in the history of the game,” Georgiev explained. “Coming into the League, he was my partner and my competition at the same time, so you try not to raise him up to a pedestal, but I’m so happy for him getting all the credit he deserves now, having had such a great career. … I learned so much from him, especially how hard he always worked in practice.”

Shesterkin benefitted from watching Lundqvist at the end of his career. And he’s thriving under Allaire. 

The 28-year-old is 118-54-16 in 190 NHL games with a 2.46 GAA and .920 save percentage. When he won the season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Shesterkin became the fastest goalie to 100 wins in Rangers history (159 games) and just the seventh all-time in the NHL to reach that number in fewer than 160 games (Bill Durnan, Michel Larocque, Frank Brimsek, Bob Froese, Chris Osgood and Tiny Thompson).

Shesterkin sparkled under the spotlight here this weekend. But he shared it, as well, with two former Rangers goalies, while their mentor likely was watching from afar.

When the Rangers fell to the New Jersey Devils in Game 7, it marked the end of Jaroslav Halak’s one-year deal with the team. With limited cap space, estimated to be around $11,762,918 per PuckPedia, a low-cost replacement is part of general manager Chris Drury’s offseason agenda.

Shesterkin will once again be given the majority of starts for next season, so the ideal backup will play somewhere around 25 games. That requires a certain veteran mindset to be ready to go even if your last start was well over a week ago.

Let’s dive into some potential candidates.

Rangers Rumors: Louis Domingue a consideration?

The Rangers were impressed with how Louis Domingue performed in last season’s first-round playoff match as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was forced into Game 1 after Casey DeSmith was injured and won a triple OT contest on Garden ice. His gutsy performance led to a two-year deal with New York at an AAV of $775,000.

This season, the 31 year-old veteran is a big reason why the Hartford Wolf Pack ended a long playoff drought dating back to the 2014-15 campaign. He did so by posting a record of 22-12-8 record with 4 shutouts, a 2.51 GAA, and a .911 save percentage.

Domingue is also one of those rare goalie who catches with his right hand. That would be a nice change of pace when facing opponents in a home-and-home series.

For his NHL career, Domingue’s numbers stand at 59-60-10 with a 3.04 GAA, and a .905 SV%. Although his salary cap hit would be a perfect fit, the Rangers may want to go with a more proven big league backup.

It’s just nice to know that if they strike out on the free agent market, they will have a fallback option in Domingue.

Free Agent Options

When it comes to veteran goalies that could backup Shesterkin, there’s a few unrestricted free agent candidates that stand out. If the Rangers budget remains the same as this past season, you are looking at netminder willing to take a one-year deal at around $1.5 million.

Here’s my top five:

Jaroslav Halak (2022-23 Stats: 10-9-5, 2.72 GAA, .903 SV%)

If Halak feels like he has one more season in him, the Rangers could easily go back to the well liked veteran. Despite a slow beginning where he won only once in 8 starts (1-6-1), he settled down and rattled off 7 straight wins from December to February to help turn both his and the team’s season around.

Cam Talbot (2022-23 Stats: 17-14-2, 2.93 GAA, .898 SV%)

Talbot is one of two UFA goalies that has played with the Rangers before. In two seasons as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup from 2013-14 to 2014-15, he was superb posting a 33-15-5 record with a GAA of 2.00 and a .931 save percentage. Already familiar with the pressures of playing on Broadway, he could be a nice add if he’s willing to take a pay cut and a lesser role.

Antti Raanta (2022-23 Stats: 19-3-3, 2.23 GAA, .910 SV%)

Another former Blueshirt and Lundqvist understudy is Raanta. He actually replaced Talbot as Hank’s backup for two seasons from 2015-16 to 2016-17. A fan favorite, Raanta posted a record of 27-14-4 with the Rangers. He did so on the strength of a 2.25 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Plus, he’s well versed with the competition in the Metro Division having played with the Carolina Hurricanes the last two years.

Thomas Greiss (2022-23 Stats: 7-10-0, 3.58 GAA, .896 SV%)

Prior to the Rangers inking Halak, Greiss was a goalie that Drury was believed to have his eye on before he signed with the St. Louis Blues. The 14-year veteran struggled last year, but so did the entire Blues team. He’s certainly someone that may be an option if the others don’t pan out.

Alex Nedeljkovic (2022-23 Stats: 5-7-2, 3.53 GAA, .895 SV%)

Once considered one of the top up and coming goalies, Nedeljkovic had a disastrous campaign with the Red Wings. However, this is a goalie that exploded onto the scene with the Hurricanes in 2020-21 recording a .932 save percentage and a 1.90 GAA in 23 games. What better way for him to resurrect his career by signing a one-year deal to backup Shesterkin while learning from goalie guru Benoit Allaire.

Steven Valiquette and the Spider-Man mask

Steve basically had a cup of coffee for the NY Rangers playing 39 games over the span of 5 years. Now he’s on MSG’s post games discussing a web of analytics numbers. Although his mask isn’t horrifying, it would scare you if you were a criminal. Go Spider-Valley!

Gilles Gratton, the Tiger

Remember when I said goalies were a little off? Well, Gilles was bat shit crazy. One of his nicknames was The Count, here’s his explanation why: “In my last life I was a Spanish Count and one of the things I loved to do when I was a count in Spain was take all the commoners, line them up against a wall and throw rocks at them.” -yup, nuts. He played one season in NY in 1977.

John Vanbiesbrouck, Oh My! Bees!

The Beezer was one of the Rangers great netminders. He played 449 games for the NY Rangers over 11 seasons getting his first action as an 18 year old for 1 game. Everyone remembers Beezer’s cool Florida Panthers helmet, but in NY he did have a “killer” of a mask too, sporting BEEZ (get it).

Johan Holmqvist, the Monster

First off, WHO? Yes, I know – but this is about goalie masks now isn’t it. He played 4 games for the Rangers over a brief 99 game NHL career. His mask probably earned him 98 more games.

Cam Talbot, Who You Gonna Call?

This Rangers backup made quite the splash when he joined the Blueshirts. His love for the Ghostbusters franchise was plastered all over his helmets. Here is his 2014 version.

After Tuesday night’s wild game in Edmonton, the Rangers headed south on Highway 2 for their tilt with the Calgary Flames. Although it wasn’t as wild as the 7-5 loss to the Oilers, the Rangers would wind up on the losing end of a 4-3 scoreline.

Jacob Trouba – He scored his first goal in almost a month, and it got the Rangers on the board in the first period. With the Blueshirts trailing 2-0 and having a two-man advantage, Jacob Trouba hammered a slap shot behind former Ranger Cam Talbot to cut the deficit in half.

Trouba played 24:18 and led the Rangers with seven shots on net. His shoot-first mentality is something that needs to rub off on the rest of the team.

Filip Chytil – The 20-year-old tied the game in the first period with his 10th tally of the year. After Kaapo Kakko’s shot was stopped by Talbot, Chytil knocked the rebound out of midair and into the net.

Chytil has had a solid season since being called up from Hartford at the end of October, recording 14 points (10G, 4A) in 30 games.

Kaapo Kakko– It’d been 20 games since the Finn’s last goal, but Kakko finally got that proverbial monkey off his back, scoring the seventh goal of his rookie season. With the line of Howden-Chytil-Kakko having sustained zone time, Kakko’s shot from inside the blue line deflected off the Calgary defender and into the net.

After the goal, you could tell that Kakko’s confidence started coming back, as he was more energetic for the remainder of his shifts. Hopefully, we’ll see his confidence continue improving game after game.

Control The Puck – Perhaps the biggest reason the Rangers lost this game was early turnovers. Johnny Gaudreau’s goal came on an errant pass to the point, and Backlund’s breakaway goal came with the Rangers overpassing on a 5v3 advantage. The third Calgary goal came on a Brady Skjei breakout pass that was knocked down by Dillon Dube and finished by Derek Ryan. Three bad giveaways ultimately cost the Rangers in this one, and if they aren’t going to take care of the puck, they won’t win many games.

Next Game: The Rangers will try and salvage the final game of their trip through Western Canada on Saturday night when they face the Canucks at Rogers Arena. Puck drops at 10!

LETS GO RANGERS!!