Shesterkin recently made NHL history by signing an eight-year, $92 million contract that makes him the highest-paid goalie all-time. Of course, Quick is close to making some history of his own.

With 398 victories in his career, Quick already holds the mark for most wins by a U.S.-born goaltender. Two more wins will make him the 15th goalie in NHL history to reach the 400-win mark — and just the third among active goaltenders. Only Marc-Andre Fleury of the Minnesota Wild (567 wins, second all-time) and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers (412, 11th) have more victories among active goalies.

Quick’s been an impactful backup goaltender since signing with the Rangers in the summer of 2023. He was 18-6-2 last season with a 2.62 goals-against average in a resurgent season. It came after Quick appeared to be all but finished in 2022-23, when he wound up with the Vegas Golden Knights after being traded away by the Kings, with whom he had spent the first 15 seasons of his career. Of course, Quick still won his third Stanley Cup championship when Vegas won it all in 2023, albeit as the No. 3 goalie.

This season, Quick is 5-4-0 with a 2.73 GAA and a .906 save percentage. He won his first five decisions, two by shutout, but has lost his past four — largely because of a lack of help from his teammates. So, he’s been sitting on 398 wins since defeating the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 30.

It’s not impossible that Quick could not only reach 400 wins this season but move past a couple of members of the 400-win club — Chris Osgood (401) and Hall of Famers Grant Fuhr (403) and Glenn Hall (407) — on the all-time list.

Quick also compares well to the two other active goalies who’ve reached 400 wins. Like Quick, both Fleury and Bobrovsky are Stanley Cup champions; Fleury was on Cup-winning teams with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, 2016, and 2017, and Bobrovsky led the Florida Panthers to the Cup in June.

Related: Why Rangers desperately need to re-acquire J.T. Miller, even if trade is long shot

Rangers’ Jonathan Quick compares favorably to other 400-win goalies

Quick has never won the Vezina Trophy as the League’s top goaltender — Bobrovsky won it twice with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2012-13 and 2016-17; Fleury won with the Golden Knights in 2020-21. However, Quick is the only one of the three to win Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs; he did it 2012 after the Kings won the Stanley Cup for the first time in their history by defeating the New Jersey Devils in the Final.

Fleury began his NHL career in 2003-04, well before Quick (2007-08) and Bobrovsky (2010-11), so it’s not surprising that he has played in a lot more games (1,036; Quick has played in 791, Bobrovsky in 724) and has far more wins. But the three are almost even in two of key stats for goalies — goals-against average and save percentage.

Quick has the edge in GAA at 2.47; Bobrovsky is at 2.59 and Fleury at 2.60. “Bob” has the edge in save percentage at .914, slightly ahead of Fleury (.912, but .898 this season) and Quick (.911).

No active goalie is close to Quick’s win total. Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy (308) is the only other active goalie to reach the 300-win mark. If he remains healthy, Vasilevskiy is all but certain to surpass 400 career wins, but it likely won’t happen for at least another 2-3 seasons.

The Rangers depend on Quick to be a reliable backup, and his three Stanley Cup championships also make him an important part of the locker room, whether that means sharing experiences or simply pushing his teammates. It’s no longer a question of if Quick will reach 400 career wins, it’s a question of when.

Though with the Rangers in a complete freefall with just four wins in the past 17 games, the wait may continue for a bit.

The Panthers were at it again Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, spoiling the Rangers’ record-setting start to this season. Florida won 3-1, ending New York’s franchise-record six-game point streak to begin a season.

It was the first time this season that the Rangers failed to score at least four goals. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was outstanding, making 24 saves to earn his 400th NHL win. Bobrovsky is the 14th goalie in NHL history to reach that milestone, and did so in the fewest number of games (707), surpassing Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist (727 games).

Igor Shesterkin, as he was in the conference final last spring, was the Rangers’ best player, finishing with 25 saves.

Alexis Lafreniere scored the only goal for New York, which fell to 5-1-1.

Anton Lundell, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett each scored for Florida, which played without injured captain Aleksander Barkov for the seventh straight game and improved to 5-3-1.

“I think we were pretty sloppy there, right from the start, all game,” Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said postgame.

Related: Rangers choose to keep rookie on roster, place Chad Ruhwedel on waivers

Florida Panthers 3 – New York Rangers 1

Unlike Tuesday, when they scored in the first minute against the Montreal Canadiens and piled on four goals in the opening 11:05 of an eventual 7-2 win, the Rangers were on the other end of things at the start Thursday.

The Panthers scored 44 seconds into the game and upped their lead to 2-0 at 2:42 of the first period. They won a puck battle along the wall in the Rangers end and Sam Reinhart zipped a pass in front, where Lundell was all alone to bury his fifth goal of the season and give the Panthers a quick 1-0 advantage.

The Garden got quiet early after Verhaeghe scored his first of the season a bit under two minutes later. The Panthers forward backed off Jacob Trouba and had plenty of room to wire a left-circle shot far side past Shesterkin to put the home team in an early 2-0 hole.

But the Rangers got the crowd back into it just two minutes later. Fox whipped a pass from the right-wing wall to Lafreniere cutting to the net. Lafreniere slipped behind Jesper Boqvist, deked Bobrovsky and swept a backhand shot into the net at 4:44 to cut New York’s deficit in half with his fourth goal.

The feed. The finish. No notes. pic.twitter.com/vYMXTSUoRk

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 24, 2024

Then it was time for Shesterkin and Bobrovsky to take turns making one big save after another. Perhaps the best of the lot was a glove save by Bobrovsky on a breakaway by Jonny Brodzinski.

The star goalies were at it again in the second period. Bobrovsky stoned Filip Chytil on a break-in, and later flat-out robbed Vincent Trocheck with a toe save on a rebound after a sharp first save on Braden Schneider’s blast.

Shesterkin did his part at the other end of the ice to keep things close when the Panthers controlled the puck most of the period. He was beaten once, though, on a perfect deflection by Bennett at 6:59, and the Rangers headed into the second intermission trailing 3-1, only the second time they’ve been behind after two periods this season.

Florida completely stymied New York’s power play midway through the second period and a crucial one 48 seconds into the third. Buoyed by an incredible sprawling glove save against Reinhart by Shesterkin, the Rangers killed off a Panthers power play a few minutes later to keep it 3-1.

The Rangers had one last chance. They were awarded a power play at 16:57 of the third when Verhaeghe was whistled for cross-checking. Shesterkin was pulled for an extra attacker, giving the Rangers a full two minutes of a 6-on-4 power play, but they could not beat Bobrovsky.

“I thought they were better in the first. I thought they were better in the second, and they were better in the third,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said.

There were a lot of similarities in this defeat and the ones against the Panthers last postseason. Florida looked quicker and won more puck battles, and the Panthers outchanced the Rangers 18-5 in the final 40 minutes, per Natural Stat Trick.

The Rangers go from playing one of the best teams in the League to one at the other end of standings when they host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday at MSG.

Perhaps motivated by coming so close to their first Cup Final since 2014 yet falling short, the Rangers are 5-0-1 to start the new season, the best points percentage (.917) in the Eastern Conference.

The Rangers are doing it with largely the same roster as last season. The only regular newcomers into the lineup are forwards Reilly Smith (trade) and Sam Carrick (free agent), and rookie defenseman Victor Mancini. Forward Adam Edstrom has also worked his way into a full-time role with Jimmy Vesey injured, playing all six games after appearing in 11 with the Rangers last season.

New York won’t be changing a winning hand Thursday after a 7-2 rout against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. That means Ryan Lindgren, who returned from an upper-body injury, will again skate with Mancini on the third defense pair, and Jonny Brodzinski will remain on the fourth line, with Matt Rempe a healthy scratch.

The Panthers (4-3-1) are first in the Atlantic Division and begin a five-game road trip Thursday that includes two games in Finland next week against the Dallas Stars in the 2024 NHL Global Series. They are hoping to get captain Aleksander Barkov back in the lineup soon, He’s out with a lower-body injury, missing the past six games.

Related: Randy Moller says Rangers must change playoff ‘mindset’ to win Stanley Cup

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Panthers

1. Measuring stick — but for whom?

Jacob Trouba believes this game will be a “good test” for the Rangers, who’ve yet to lose in regulation through six games and own the first six-game point streak to begin a season in franchise history.

“It’s a good test every time you play a top-notch team,” the Rangers captain said after the morning skate Thursday. “Obviously, the defending champs. They’re one of the best in the League, so it’ll be a good test for us.”

But is this really a measuring-stick game for the Panthers and not as much for the Rangers? As New York plays at a crazy high level, with a goal differential of plus-19 and averaging a League-best 5.17 goals per game, Florida is struggling to score and have been sloppy defensively. The Panthers miss Barkov, no doubt, but a minus-five goal differential is an unsightly look for the reigning champions.

Right now, one team looks locked in. The other, not so much.

2. Igor vs. Bob

One of the things that made the 2024 ECF so compelling was the goalie matchup. Countrymen from Russia, Igor Shesterkin and Sergei Bobrovksy are two of the best at their position in the world. Shesterkin has the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy as top NHL goalie on his resume, and Bobrovsky won the Vezina twice, to go along with the Stanley Cup last spring.

Bobrovsky, of course, led the Panthers past the Rangers, allowing 12 goals in six games and more than two goals only once. His save percentage was .921.

But Shesterkin faced 49 more shots in the series and was a one-man force against the Panthers. He was spectacular despite losing the series, finishing with a .930 save percentage, allowing 14 goals in six games.

Shesterkin’s continued his brilliance early on this season. In five starts, he’s 4-0-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average and .932 save percentage, allowing two goals or fewer in each win and one goal or fewer three times.

It’s been a bumpier ride for Bobrovsky. He’s 3-2-1 in six starts with a 3.47 GAA and . 875 save percentage, allowing three goals or more in all but one game.

3. Bottom six impact

It can’t be overstated how big a role Florida’s bottom six played last season, especially in the deep grind of their Stanley Cup run in the postseason. However, Vladimir Tarasenko, Kevin Stenlund, Kyle Okposo, Ryan Lomberg and Steven Lorentz are all gone, and the Panthers are trying to rebuild their identity in that bottom six.

On the other side, the Rangers bottom six is flourishing. The line of Will Cuylle-Filip Chytil-Kappo Kakko combined for three goals and eight points Tuesday in Montreal and are dominating puck possession and scoring chances 5v5 this season. They’ve been on the ice for seven goals for at even strength and zero against.

New York’s fourth line has been physical and chipped in offensively, as we saw when Brodzinski scored against the Canadiens. Brodzinski and Edstrom have earned playing time ahead of Rempe, and Carrick has impressed.

Right now, the Rangers have a distinct advantage over the Panthers when it comes to bottom-six play and production.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Brodzinski

Miller – Fox

Schneider – Trouba

Lindgren-Mancini

Shesterkin

Quick

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

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

Who: New York Rangers vs. Florida Panthers

When: Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. ET

How to Watch: MSG

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

The Rangers have revenge on their minds, but the Panthers have Stanley Cup championship rings on their fingers. Even a win Thursday won’t wipe away the bitter taste that remains in the Rangers’ mouths.

At 5-0-1, the Rangers have their best six-game start in franchise history. It continued with a dominating 7-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. They have the best points percentage in the Eastern Conference (.917), and are second in the NHL behind the Winnipeg Jets (6-0-0).

The Panthers (4-3-1) have wobbled out of the gate, but they still lead the Atlantic Division. Florida lost 5-1 to the Minnesota Wild at home on Tuesday and are beginning a road trip that eventually sends them to Finland next weekend for two games against the Dallas Stars in the 2024 NHL Global Series.

Though the Panthers haven’t been at their best, this will undoubtedly be the biggest test for the Rangers in the first month of the regular season.

Let’s see how the two teams stack up against one another so far this season.

Related: No supplemental discipline for Jacob Trouba after ‘devastating but clean’ hit

New York Rangers vs. Florida Panthers: Head-to-head

Forwards

Rangers top 3:
Artemi Panarin: 6 goals, 7 assists, 13 points
Vincent Trocheck: 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points
Alexis Lafreniere: 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points
Total: 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points

Panthers top 3:
Sam Reinhart: 5 goals, 7 assists, 12 points
Anton Lundell: 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points
Sam Bennett: 5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points
Total: 14 goals, 14 assists, 28 points

These two teams each have incredible depth throughout their lineup, especially at forward. Artemi Panarin is an early Hart Trophy candidate, and all four of the Rangers’ lines are firing on all cylinders, each contributing on the score sheet. Mika Zibanejad, Reilly Smith, and Will Cuylle each are tied with Lafreniere with six points, giving New York six players with at least six points through six games. Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko are right there with five apiece.

WATCH: Former Rangers defenseman, longtime Panthers broadcaster Randy Moller guests on Rink Rap podcast

That depth has really helped them close the gap on the Panthers this season, especially after Florida lost several bottom-six forwards in the offseason, including Vladimir Tarasenko, Kyle Okposo, Kevin Stenlund and Ryan Lomberg. It wasn’t always about points with their bottom-six forwards last season, but they were tone-setters. The Rangers’ third line of Cuylle-Chytil-Kakko has done the same for New York this season — with even more point production.

For the Panthers, their top three scorers are carrying the bulk of the offensive production, but don’t count out Matthew Tkachuk (three points) and Carter Verhaeghe (four points) from ramping up their production. Florida misses captain Aleksander Barkov, who’s likely to miss his seventh straight game with a lower-body injury.

Though the Panthers have the edge by two points in the top-3 matchup, the Rangers forward group has outscored them 64 points to 49 despite playing two fewer games.

Edge: New York Rangers

Defensemen

Rangers top 3
Adam Fox: 0 goals, 7 assists, 7 points, plus-5
Jacob Trouba: 0 goals, 4 assists, 4 points, plus-7
Braden Schneider: 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points, plus-8
Total: 2 goals, 12 assists, 14 points, plus-21

Panthers top 3
Gustav Forsling: 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points, minus-8
Aaron Ekblad: 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points, plus-1
Niko Mikkola: 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points, minus-5
Total: 2 goals, 7 assists, 9 points, minus-12

The stats speak for themselves here, especially in the plus/minus category. The Rangers’ defense has been stellar to start the season, and they just got Ryan Lindgren back from injury. Rookie standout Victor Mancini is making his case to stay with the team with a three-game point streak, and the new-look pairs have played exceptionally well.

Florida’s defense has played just OK to this point. The Panthers have surrendered five goals to the Wild and Buffalo Sabres in losses, and are severely hurting in goal differential since their wins have come by either one or two goals. They miss Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who left as free agents this summer.

This isn’t just a defensemen thing, but the Rangers have a plus-19 goal differential in six games, best in the League. The Panthers are minus-5 in eight games.

Edge: New York Rangers

Goalies

Igor Shesterkin: 4-0-1, .932 save percentage, 1.98 GAA, 1 shutout

Sergei Bobrovsky: 3-2-1, .875 save percentage, 3.47 GAA

Though Sergei Bobrovsky got the best of the Rangers in the playoffs last season, Igor Shesterkin was probably the best goalie in that conference final and has the edge in play thus far this season.

Shesterkin is itching to become the highest-paid goalie in NHL history and has played like it, allowing two goals or fewer in each of his wins this season. Bobrovsky has been scrambling in his first handful of games, though hasn’t had much help in front of him.

Edge: New York Rangers

Special teams

New York Rangers:
Power play – 31.6%
Penalty kill – 86.4%

Florida Panthers:
Power play – 19.0%
Penalty kill – 85.7%

The Rangers’ special teams are what ultimately determined their success or demise last season, especially in the playoffs. They relied heavily on the power play and had a stalwart penalty kill. What’s different this season is that their 5v5 play has been excellent to this point, and their special teams remain at an elite level.

Florida’s penalty kill is right there with the Rangers, but their power play has had a hard time clicking. That’s something to keep an eye on for Florida going forward.

Edge: New York Rangers

While the Rangers have dominated in just about every category to start the season, the Panthers are the team with a fresh championship banner hanging at Amerant Bank Arena.

This game will be a great test to see where New York stacks up against the defending champs, who eliminated them just six wins away from their ultimate goal. The way this season has started, this actually might be a measuring stick game for the Panthers, because, right now, the Rangers are as good as they come in the NHL.

The Rangers have been quite familiar with elite postseason goaltending since the turn of the 21st century. That’s in large part thanks to Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist, who recorded a 2.30 GAA and .921 save percentage in 144 playoff games during his 15-year career on Broadway. But not to be overlooked, is his successor in the net Igor Shesterkin.

Also Read: New York Rangers best free-agent signings, from Lafleur to Panarin

“In the playoffs, finding peace, focus, and confidence is easier for me,” the Russian goalie told Daria Tuboltseva of RG.org earlier this week. “I don’t do anything special, I don’t change my preparation. It’s the same routine before the games.”

That focus has certainly translated to on-ice success. Just five seasons into his NHL career, Shesterkin has already established himself as a dominant postseason goaltender. In 44 games, Shesterkin boasts a 2.41 GAA and a .928 save percentage.

His .928 postseason save percentage ranks first in the Rangers’ 98-year franchise history and sixth-all-time in NHL history (minimum 15 playoff games).

In each of the last three postseasons, Igor Shesterkin has finished in the top two in playoff Goals Saved Above Expected (per MoneyPuck), leading all goaltenders in the metric during the 2022 postseason.

“The playoffs are additional motivation,” Shesterkin explained. “There is a bit of anxiety before the opening faceoff, but once you touch the puck, you forget about it.”

Despite his overwhelming success in the net, it unfortunately hasn’t translated to meaningful postseason success for the Rangers. Two trips to the Eastern Conference Final sandwich a 2023 first-round exit in seven games against the rival New Jersey Devils.

In both conference finals appearances, the Blueshirts failed to get past Game 6, falling in 2022 to the Tampa Bay Lightning and then most recently to the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers this past season.

Related: Former Rangers defenseman’s incredulous take on signing Igor Shesterkin

“I left Florida upset both times,” he said. “The first time we played in the conference finals, we were a team no one believed in. No one expected us to achieve anything. Now, we entered the playoffs as the Presidents’ Trophy winners. Everyone expected a good result from us. We fought hard, but luck was not always on our side.”

As the 28-year-old readies for one last season under his current contract, he’s just one year away from, in all likelihood, becoming the highest-paid goalie in NHL history. His focus, however, remains on winning a Stanley Cup as an overwhelmingly similar Blueshirts core returns for the 2024-25 season.

“I hope that next season, we will have 16 wins in the playoffs,” Shesterkin said. “The main thing is that we remain the same close-knit team. We must wake up every day believing we want to win the Cup. And then everything will happen.”

Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin says Russian counterpart deserved the Cup

The 2024 Eastern Conference Final wasn’t just a battle between two of the best goalies in the League — it was also a battle between two Russian-born goaltenders.

Opposite of Shesterkin stood the 35-year-old Sergei Bobrovsky, a two-time Vezina winner with the Columbus Blue Jackets who had managed to find success in the later stages of his career now with the Panthers.

“Bobrovsky deserved the Cup,” admitted Shesterkin, supporting his Russian counterpart during the Stanley Cup Final as the Panthers faced the Edmonton Oilers. “I’m glad he managed to achieve this result. I hope it will be our turn now.”

Bobrovsky recorded a 2.32 GAA and .906 save percentage in 24 games this postseason, helping Florida to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. After the Panthers went up 3-0 in the series, Bobrovsky seemed like a shoo-in for the Conn Smythe Award, shutting out Edmonton in Game 1 and allowing four goals on 86 shots through the first three games.

Led by a world-class performance by superstar Connor McDavid, the Oilers battled back to force Game 7 but ultimately fell in a 2-1 affair where Bobrovsky allowed one goal on 24 shots. McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe in a losing effort, but Bobrovsky received an even better prize — his first Stanley Cup.

The Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final in part thanks to Bobrovsky, who helped the Panthers battle back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Blueshirts in six games.

“We know each other, and after the game, we thanked each other for the series,” Shesterkin told RG.com. “I wished Sergei good luck in the final. We are not close friends, but I can always turn to him if I need something. And he can, too. But I don’t think Sergei can learn anything new from me.”

Also Read: The Case For Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck being named to NHL Network’s top-20 centers List

Igor Shesterkin’s self-deprecating humor aside, Bobrovsky has put together quite the resume. He ranks 14th all-time in wins ahead of his 12th NHL season and now has two Vezinas and a Stanley Cup to his name as well. When it’s all said and done, he’s got an excellent chance at ending up in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

For what it’s worth, Shesterkin’s got a pretty great resume of his own. On top of a Vezina Award for his historic 2022 season when he posted a 2.07 GAA and .935 save percentage, Shesterkin’s .921 career save percentage during the regular season currently ranks fourth all-time in NHL history (minimum 100 games), trailing only Dominic Hasek (.922), Ken Dryden (.922) and Tuukka Rask (.921).

🚨 THERE'S A NEW #⃣1⃣ ON OUR LIST!!! 🚨

Igor Shesterkin is the top goaltender on our Top 10 Goalies Right Now list!@NYRangers | #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/H70WjCWBf1

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 8, 2024

It certainly wouldn’t hurt, however, if he could add a Stanley Cup championship to the leger. That seems to be the top priority for all returning Rangers as they are ready for a crucial 2024-25 season.

Led by 2022 Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin, who finished fourth in voting as top NHL goalie this past season after a strong second half, the Blueshirts can confidently say they have one of the five best goalies on the planet. Backing him up is the future Hall of Famer Jonathan Quick, who enjoyed a career resurgence at 38 years old with a .911 save percentage and an 18-6-2 record.

With Shesterkin and Quick both returning, the Rangers boast one of the top goalie tandems in the NHL. But is it the best?

That moniker has been held by the Boston Bruins the past few seasons, featuring the dynamic pairing of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. Beyond their adorable hugging routine after games, Swayman and Ullmark weren’t just two starting-caliber goaltenders — they were two elite starting goalies.

Ullmark and Swayman finished sixth and seventh in Vezina Trophy voting this past season, making them the first tandem to appear together on the award’s voting since Henrik Lundqvist and Cam Talbot did so for the Rangers during their 2014-15 Presidents’ Trophy season. And that’s, of course, after Ullmark took home Vezina Trophy honors in 2023.

But with Ullmark traded to the Ottawa Senators this offseason, the tandem has been broken up, paving the way for a new duo to claim the mantle.

So where exactly does the Rangers’ excellent pairing rank across the League? Let’s find out. Here are the 10 best goalie tandems in the NHL.

Related: Igor Shesterkin believes ‘it should’ve been’ other Rangers goalie in 2024 NHL All-Star Game

Ranking top 10 goalie tandems in NHL right now

One quick note of clarification — both members of the tandem must have representable stats to be considered. That, unfortunately, eliminates a team like the Winnipeg Jets, who boast the reigning Vezina Trophy winner in Connor Hellebuyck, but have Kaapo Kahkonen (3.64 GAA, .898 SV%) as a backup.

An elite starter can boost the ranking, but he must be accompanied by a quality backup to get full consideration.

Honorable Mention: Toronto Maple Leafs — Joseph Woll & Anthony Stolarz

Do the Toronto Maple Leafs have the 11th-best goalie tandem in the NHL? Perhaps not. But after multiple seasons with subpar goaltending, they do have an enticing duo that’s worth keeping an eye on this coming season.

Joseph Woll’s numbers last season (2.94 GAA, .907 save percentage in 25 games) do not leap off the stat sheet, but he was one of the biggest reasons that the Maple Leafs forced Game 7 in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Bruins, after he entered in Game 4 and finished the 2024 postseason with a ridiculous 0.86 GAA and .964 save percentage.

Stolarz, meanwhile, was one of the best backups in the League last season and helped the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup, recording a 2.03 GAA and .925 save percentage in 29 games behind Sergei Bobrovsky.

Health will be a question for Woll and it’s curious to see how both fare with a larger workload, but there’s reason to buy into Toronto’s tandem next season.

10. Edmonton Oilers — Stuart Skinner & Calvin Pickard

The Edmonton Oilers fell short of hoisting the Stanley Cup, but the performance of their goalie tandem throughout the postseason should breed excitement for the upcoming season.

Stuart Skinner could not top his impressive rookie campaign and second-place Calder Trophy finish in 2022-23, but still finished last season with a respectable 2.62 GAA and .905 save percentage. An up-and-down regular season carried into the postseason, when he was ultimately benched during the second round. But Skinner regained the No. 1 role and rewarded Edmonton, finishing 9-6 with a sterling 2.05 GAA and .914 save percentage in his final 15 games after returning to the net.

Calvin Pickard had an excellent 2.45 GAA and .909 save percentage in 23 games as a backup during the regular season and didn’t look overmatched in the playoffs during his three games.

Skinner, 26, still needs to prove that he can play at a top level consistently, but the Oilers should be in good hands with this pairing entering the season.

9. Washington Capitals — Charlie Lindgren & Logan Thompson

Charlie Lindgren was a delightful surprise for the Washington Capitals this past season, finishing eighth in Vezina Trophy voting and receiving one Hart Trophy vote after he posted a 2.67 GAA and .911 save percentage as the No. 1 in D.C.

The Capitals acquired Logan Thompson this offseason to provide a 1a-1b scenario in goal. Thompson reassumed a starting role with the Vegas Golden Knights following an early injury to Adin Hill and was productive, recording a 2.70 GAA and .908 save percentage in 46 games in 2023-24.

Thompson is a clear upgrade over Darcy Keumper, who lost his starting job last season to Lindgren, and provides a nice safety blanket if Lindgren isn’t quite as dominant in 2024-25. But if Lindgren continues to play well, this is a mean duo.

8. Carolina Hurricanes — Frederik Andersen & Pyotr Kochetkov

The Carolina Hurricanes may not have the elite starting goalie that some of the other teams on this list boast. What they do have, however, is two legitimate starting goaltenders. It’s not quite a Swayman-Ullmark situation, but the Canes do have two netminders who should be able to play 40-50 games.

Limited to 15 games due to a scary blood clotting issue last season, Frederik Andersen was quietly brilliant, 13-2-0 with a 1.84 GAA and .932 save percentage. Pyotr Kochetkov, meanwhile, recorded a 2.33 GAA (best among goalies with at least 40 games played) and .911 save percentage.

Both struggled in the postseason, when neither recorded a save percentage over .900 as the Hurricanes were eliminated by the Rangers in the second round. Still, Andersen has a solid track record and Kochetkov is on the rise.

7. St. Louis Blues — Jordan Binnington & Joel Hofer

After a couple of down years, Jordan Binnington bounced back with an excellent 2023-24, finishing with a 2.84 GAA and .913 save percentage.

He was backed by Joel Hofer, 23, who received Calder Trophy votes as NHL rookie of the year with a 2.65 GAA and .913 save percentage in 30 games.

The duo will return for another season together, and while it may not be a particularly flashy pairing, there aren’t too many questions surrounding this tandem. Stability and ease of mind are a good thing when it comes to goaltending. Those aren’t phrases typically associated with Binnington, but it’s hard to argue about a goaltending unit that ranked fourth in the NHL in save percentage (.913) last season.

6. Dallas Stars — Jake Oettinger & Casey DeSmith

Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith are both coming off career-worst seasons in 2023-24. But there’s still a lot to like about this pairing heading into the upcoming season.

Oettinger’s save percentage dipped below .910 for the first time in his four-year career, when he finished the regular season with a .905 save percentage and 2.72 GAA. But he snapped back into form when the postseason rolled around, recording a brilliant 2.24 GAA and .915 save percentage in 19 postseason games, ranking third among all playoff goalies with 7.3 GSAA.

It’s a safe bet that he’s closer to the goalie we saw in the postseason. Keep in mind, he’s just one year removed from a fifth-place Vezina Trophy finish and still has a career 2.51 GAA and .913 save percentage, even after a down year.

DeSmith’s save percentage dipped below .900 for the first time in his career, after he appeared in 29 games with the Vancouver Canucks, but that’s coming after five excellent seasons as a backup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. A bounce back from both members of this tandem is likely, particularly Oettinger, who can be of the elite goaltenders in the sport.

5. Nashville Predators — Juuse Saros & Scott Wedgewood

Juuse Saros put the noisy trade rumors to rest with an eight-year contract extension that will keep him with the Nashville Predators through his age-36 season.

Perhaps it affected him last season, when he had a 2.86 GAA and .906 save percentage, the worst numbers of his nine-year career by a wide margin. He still finished fifth in Vezina Trophy voting, and led all NHL goalies in games played (64) for the third season in a row, but his stats took an uncharacteristic dip. Odds are, it’s just a blip on the radar, and he’ll be back to his elite ways next season.

He’s played 64 or more games in every season since 2021-22, so the backup role may be less vital in Nashville, but they’ll have an experienced one in Scott Wedgewood, who joined the Predators as part of their free-agent frenzy.

Wedgewood posted a 2.85 GAA and .899 save percentage in 32 games with Dallas last season. It’s not a remarkably strong season, but he’d recorded a save percentage of .910 or higher in each of the prior two seasons and has proven himself a reliable backup.

Saros should bounce back and continue to shoulder the bulk of the workload, and even if Wedgewood falters, the Predators still have Kevin Lankinen, who’s played to a 2.79 GAA and .912 save percentage in his two seasons with Nashville.

4. Vancouver Canucks — Thatcher Demko & Arturs Silovs

Thatcher Demko had the finest season of his NHL career in 2023-24, finishing second in Vezina Trophy voting with a 2.45 GAA and .918 save percentage. It’s far from the first season he’s been excellent, but this was certainly the best we’ve seen him.

Unfortunately, he suffered an injury in Vancouver’s first postseason game and didn’t play again. After DeSmith, the No. 2 goalie, also sustained an injury, it was Arturs Silovs who took over in net, starting the final 10 games of their postseason run.

Silovs had played just four games in the regular season but carried the Canucks past the Predators in the first round of the playoffs with excellent play in net. The carriage turned into a pumpkin against the Oilers in the second round, and he finished the 2024 postseason with a 2.91 GAA, .898 save percentage, and 5-5 record.

Still, he showed enough on the biggest stage to earn a new contract and the backup role. He doesn’t need to be a superstar with Demko in front of him, but if he can hold strong in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he should be able to be a solid backup.

3. Florida Panthers — Sergei Bobrovsky & Chris Driedger/Spencer Knight

Swayman and Ullmark may have been the crown jewel of goalie tandems last season, but Bobrovsky and Stolarz were right up there with the best of them, leading the Panthers to the lowest GAA (2.42) and second-best save percentage (.918) in the NHL. Unfortunately, with Stolarz signing in Toronto, Florida will have to turn elsewhere for solid production from their No. 2.

Luckily, they’ve got a couple of good options. Chris Driedger was signed this offseason, but don’t be surprised if Spencer Knight is the No. 2.

Driedger was rather average in the past two seasons with the Seattle Kraken, but he’ll return to Florida where he enjoyed his two best NHL seasons. Knight, meanwhile, hasn’t played in the NHL since February of 2023 after entering the NHL/NHLPA player’s assistance program to address his mental health. He played a full season in the AHL this past season, though, and should find himself back as the No. 2, especially since the 23-year-old will be paid $4.5 million.

Whether it’s Driedger or Knight, they’ll be backing Bobrovsky, who finished third in Vezina voting with a 2.37 GAA and .915 save percentage and started all 24 games on Florida’s road to win the Stanley Cup.

He’ll be 36 next season, but Bobrovsky is playing some of his best hockey. If the backup picture was clearer, Florida could top this list, especially if Knight reaches the high expectations from earlier in his career.

2. New York Islanders — Ilya Sorokin & Semyon Varlamov

The New York Islanders should have the most fearsome goalie tandem in the League. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to give that nod to them after a head-scratching season from Ilya Sorokin.

Sorokin wasn’t just unable to match his 2022-23 numbers, when he led the League with six shutouts, had a .924 save percentage and finished second in Vezina voting — no, his numbers fell off a cliff. The Islanders’ No. 1 surprisingly received one Vezina vote last season despite a 3.01 GAA and .908 save percentage.

Veteran Semyon Varlamov, 35, was far better, posting a .918 save percentage in 28 games and getting the starting nod in the postseason in four of their five games. The one game Sorokin did start was disastrous since he allowed three goals on 14 shots and was pulled after the first period.

Varlamov has been ultra-consistent with a 2.55 GAA and .917 save percentage in his five seasons with the Islanders, so even if Sorokin’s struggles continue, the Islanders still have an excellent netminder. But if Sorokin can find what made him arguably the best goalie in the NHL just one season ago, this could be the best tandem in the NHL by a wide margin.

1. New York Rangers — Igor Shesterkin & Jonathan Quick

With the Islanders drop-off and questions behind Bobrovsky with the Panthers, the Rangers outstanding duo earns the top spot in the NHL.

Shesterkin deservedly gets his praise as one of the best netminders in the League, particularly after a postseason where his 13.1 GSAA ranked second among goalies. He carried the Rangers in the postseason, even when they were badly outplayed in the conference final.

Not to be ignored, however, is how vital Quick was to their early success. Quick didn’t lose in regulation for his first 10 starts and held down the fort when Shesterkin experienced some struggles until after the NHL All-Star break. Not many people had the 38-year-old winning 18 games this past season.

Shesterkin’s been a bit streaky the past couple of regular seasons, but he’s been nearly flawless in postseason play, and Quick has proven himself a more than trustworthy No. 2 who can carry the load if Shesterkin starts slow once again. And it doesn’t ever hurt to have a three-time Stanley Cup winner to turn to when needed.

There are a few goalies out there like Demko, Hellebuyck, and Bobrovsky who can contend with Shesterkin for the moniker of “best NHL goalie” but none of them have a backup who has Quick’s resume nor was as effective in his role last season.

Giving credit to where credit is due, the Panthers played a near-perfect road game, clamping down defensively from the opening puck drop, taking a first-period lead and riding Sergei Bobrovsky’s 23 saves to victory.

The Panthers have won five of six road games in the postseason and now have a four-game road winning streak. It was only the second shutout for Bobrovsky in 82 career games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist to lead the Panthers. Sam Bennett had an empty-net goal, five shots and four hits.

“I think we can play better. I don’t think that was the best version of ourselves,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette.

Igor Shesterkin allowed two goals on 26 shots, including an own goal in the third period off Alexis Lafreniere, who, ironically, might have been New York’s most effective player offensively.

“We have better in us,” Mika Zibanejad said after the Rangers lost for the third time in their past four playoff games. That after beginning the postseason with seven consecutive wins.

Related: Alexis Lafreniere could be Rangers best weapon against Panthers

Florida Panthers 3 – New York Rangers 0

Though the Panthers had an 18-12 shots advantage and the better of the play territorially, they only had a 1-0 lead on the scoreboard through two periods.

That lone goal belonged to Tkachuk, who scored his fifth of the postseason and first in six games at 16:26 of the first period. The goal came off the rush with Florida defenseman Gustav Forsling pushing the Rangers back into their own end before dropping a pass back to Tkachuk, who sent a quick wrist shot past the glove hand of Shesterkin.

MATTHEW TKACHUK SCORES THE FIRST GOAL OF THE ECF 🔥 https://t.co/XXdWFl1YGm

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 23, 2024

A bit more than a minute later, the Rangers had their best scoring chance when Kaapo Kakko sent Braden Schneider off on a clear breakaway. Though Schneider’s forehand shot beat Bobrovsky, the puck hit the post and the score remained 1-0.

Prime scoring chances were few and far between for each team in the first 40 minutes. The Rangers best sustained pressure came at the start of the second period, when they opened with four shots in less than two minutes. Bobrovsky stopped one shot through traffic with his pads, then denied Will Cuylle after the Rangers rookie broke in behind the defense on a partial break. Vincent Trocheck cut to the net and redirected a neat Lafreniere pass on net that a perfectly positioned Bobrovsky shrugged away.

After that surge, the Panthers threw a defensive blanket over the Blueshirts and did not allow a shot for a span of 14:25. The Rangers drew their first power play at 18:34 of the second period and had one excellent scoring chance when Zibanejad whistled a one-timer toward a seemingly open short side of the net. But the puck hit Trocheck in front as Bobrovsky was diving across the crease and the horn sounded to end the period seconds later.

Laviolette tried to shake things up by changing New York’s line combinations, including moving Filip Chytil up from the third line for a few shifts and putting Artemi Panarin on a line with Zibanejad and Chris Kreider for stretches. Chytil, who didn’t play much in the third period, logged only 9:17 in ice time in his second game since missing six months with an upper-body injury believed to be a concussion.

Panarin finished minus-3 with three shots on goal and seven shot attempts in a whopping 24:37 of ice time.

Though the Panthers had the better of the play, it’s not as if they were piling up great scoring chances. Shesterkin did make a couple tough stops, including a glove deflection of an Aleksander Barkov backhander from the slot at 15:03 of the second.

The Panthers had the game’s first two power plays, but did little with either opportunity against the outstanding Rangers penalty kill.

Florida’s lead remained 1-0 early in the third because Shesterkin made two big stops on separate shifts against Verhaeghe. First, the Rangers goalie was in the right position to swallow a turnaround shot from the slot. And then Verhaeghe’s slap shot off the rush was kicked out by Shesterkin’s left pad minutes later.

A huge moment in the game took place at 8:45 of the third period. Florida’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson drilled a left-wing shot past Shesterkin but the Rangers successfully challenged the on-ice goal call because Ryan Lomberg was in the blue paint and made contact with the Rangers netminder.

The Rangers successfully challenge OEL's goal for goaltender interference 👀 https://t.co/pWE1CWPxG0

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 23, 2024

It was a huge break for the Blueshirts and kept their deficit at one goal. They caught another break when Anton Lundell’s power-play deflection hit the crossbar minutes later. And after Lafreniere ripped a shot off the post at the other end, still another break when the Panthers were penalized for having too many men on the ice at 13:11.

Bobrovsky made two huge saves on the Rangers power play, first on Trocheck in tight and then on an Adam Fox bomb shortly after. And the Panthers had their second successful kill of the night.

“He’s been unbelievable all playoffs … when we need him, he comes up huge,” Verhaeghe said about Bobrovsky.

A massive bad break went against the Rangers, when a back-checking Lafreniere inadvertently deflected a Verhaeghe centering pass into his own net to make it 2-0 at 16:12 of the third period. The play started with Shesterkin coming far out of his net to play the puck, only to turn it over along the wall to Verhaeghe, who ended up with his seventh goal of the playoffs.

After Shesterkin was pulled for the extra attacker, Bobrovsky made a lightning-quick left-pad save on Zibanejad’s low blast with 2:45 to play. That ended up being New York’s last gasp because Bennett sent a shot from his side of the red line dead center into the empty net with 1:19 remaining. Bennett’s third goal iced the Game 1 road win for the Panthers, 3-0.

“Our whole entire game has to be better,” Kreider said.

Game 2 of this best-of-7 series takes place Friday night at The Garden.

The Rangers lost the regular-season series with a 1-2-0 record against the Panthers. Each game was close, with the winning margin one goal twice and two goals once.

New York was outscored 11-8 in the three contests (nine if you count their shootout winner from the final meeting). Artemi Panarin led the Rangers with three goals over the course of the three games. Will Cuylle had two, and Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Adam Fox each had one.

Florida has scoring contributions throughout the lineup against New York. Sam Reinhart topped the Panthers with four goals, Carter Verhaeghe followed up with two, and Matthew Tkachuck, Evan Rodrigues, Ryan Lomberg, Anton Lundell, and Eetu Luostarinen each scored one.

In goal, Jonathan Quick played the first game for the Rangers, a 4-3 loss, making 29 saves on 33 shots for an .879 save percentage and 4.00 goals against average. Igor Shesterkin played the second and third games, posting a 1-1-0 record and making 53 saves on 59 shots for a save percentage of .898. In this playoff run, Shesterkin is 8-2 with a .923 save percentage and a 2.40 GAA.

Sergei Bobrovsky played all three games against the Rangers this season. In those contests, he earned a 2-0-1 record with 91 saves on 99 shots, good for a .919 save percentage and 2.66 GAA. In the postseason, Bobrovsky has an 8-3-0 record with a save percentage of .902 and a GAA of 2.37.

New York was 3-for-9 on the power play in the season series and Florida was 2-for-8. In the playoffs, the Rangers have a 31.4 percent success rate on the man advantage, and Florida has a 22.0 percent success rate.

Related: Rangers playoff series vs. Panthers features 2 elite coaches

Let’s break down the three regular-season games played between the Rangers and Panthers this season.

December 29, 2023 – Panthers 4 – Rangers 3

In the first meeting between these two teams, the Panthers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in Sunrise, Florida. They extended that lead to two, before New York began to battle back with two goals of their own from Panarin and Cuylle. The Panthers ended the second period with a 3-2 lead, courtesy of a Reinhart tally.

New York fought back once again, tying the game at three with a goal from Zibanejad. Florida, however, got the last lick, when Verhaeghe scored the go-ahead goal to give the Panthers a 4-3 victory. It was a very back and forth game with momentum shifts for each team throughout.

March 4, 2024 – Panthers 4 – Rangers 2

In the second meeting, played at Madison Square Garden, it was New York which got off to the early lead, thanks to a power-play goal from Cuylle. Florida was able to turn the tide in the second, when Reinhart notched two goals, the first coming on the power play. Kreider evened the score at two with another power-play goal before the end of the period.

In the third, it was all Panthers. First, Lomberg gave Florida a 3-2 lead, and the Rangers could not seem to generate much after that. It was another instance in which New York failed to score at even strength for the entirety of the game. Lundell sealed the deal with an empty-net goal, giving the Panthers their second win of the season series.

March 23, 2024 – Rangers 4 – Panthers 3 (SHO)

In the third and final meeting of the season at MSG, the Rangers had to come from behind once again. Tkachuck got things started for the Panthers, giving his team a 1-0 lead after the first. Luostarinen doubled their lead in the second, which served as a wake-up call for the Rangers. A power-play goal from Fox and another tally from Panarin had the game tied at two after the second.

Verhaeghe gave Florida the lead again in the third period, but Panarin scored his second of the game to tie it up and send the contest to overtime. After a scoreless five minutes of 3-on-3, the game went to a shootout. Panarin, while not credited with a hat trick, scored the eventual shootout winner for New York, giving the Rangers their only win of the season against the Panthers, who took five of six points in the season series.

Here’s our Quick Hits recap of the Rangers’ 2-0 loss to the Blue Jackets.

While the last game on Wednesday ended the Rangers’ win streak, tonight’s game started their losing streak. However, despite the score at the sound of the last buzzer, the game wasn’t nearly as bad as it seems. Bobrovsky was on-point, and while the Rangers had 36 shots on goal, they were unable to bury any of them.

Defense: After the 6-3 loss to the Blackhawks, Vigneault made one noticeable change to the defensive lineup. He removed Kampfer and put in Brendan Smith. Smith, who we haven’t seen in the past six games, played about as well as you’d expect. You could tell he was rusty after spending several games in the press box, but he did have some moments where he shined, particularly when he nearly scored on Bobrovsky. With a bit more playing, he’ll make a nice addition to the bottom pairing.

Power Play: The Rangers’ power play has looked out of sorts for the last two games, as they’ve gone 0 for 6, so something has to give. It looked absymal today, with the Blue Jackets getting several opportunities for shorthanded goals and the Rangers getting stuck in their defensive zone despite the man-advantage.

Pavel Buchnevich: After the Rangers’ 3 zone play broke down in the second period, Vigneault switched up the lines to start the third. The team, as a whole struggled to generate sustained periods of offense through the first two periods. This demoted Buchnevich to the bottom 6, where he’s no stranger to playing.

Henrik Lundqvist: It seems like I cover him every time I do a recap, but I promise it’s not out of favoritism. Tonight, Hank was in pristine form, carrying on a goaltender duel with Bobrovsky for over 30 minutes. He eventually lost, but not for trying. He made several key saves, including stoning Atkinson on three consecutive shot attempts, one of which was blocking a wraparound. He also bailed his defensemen out more than once. He faced 42 shots, saving 40 for a .952 save percentage in tonight’s game, so while the score doesn’t look good, the King still retains his throne.

Irony: Two coaches notorious for shortening their benches in tight games, John Tortorella and Alain Vigneault, seemingly each rolled four lines through most of the game. Some may wonder if this was the reason for moving Buchnevich to the 3rd line across from JT Miller as Vigneault’s hope may have been to stretch his lines out. No matter which way he shuffled it though, the Rangers were unable to quality chances despite 36 shots on goal.

The Rangers play again on Sunday at 7, and they’re back home at MSG. Until then!

LET’S GO RANGERS!

When the newly created Metropolitan Division was announced as part of the NHL’s re-alignment, fans and analysts alike had high hopes for the teams involved.  Among them, perennial Eastern powerhouse Pittsburgh, the Rangers, a team that just two years ago reached the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Devils, who reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2012.

What we’ve seen to this point, however, can be considered nothing better than mediocrity from most.

Taking Pittsburgh out of the equation, the Metro division, though tightly contested, has been home to many under performing clubs, much to the dismay of their dedicated fan bases.

The Flyers are a fine testament to the undistinguished level of play we’ve come to expect from the Metro division.  Their 77 points, good for 2nd overall in the division, wouldn’t crack the top three of ANY remaining divisions in the entire NHL.

That’s not to say the final few weeks of the season won’t provide excitement as it pertains to the playoff race, and here, we’ll take a look at the teams most central to the competition.

TRENDING UPWARD

Columbus Blue Jackets

Caution Rangers fans; this one may hurt a little.

Columbus has enjoyed a good deal of success post-Olympic break, going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.  Their 76 points have them 3rd overall in the Metro Division, and if the playoffs started today they’d have a first round matchup with Philadelphia.

They’ve accomplished this on the heels of their offense, which has proven to be a driving force behind their success.

Columbus’ 190 goals for on the season puts them top three in the Metro, trailing only Washington and Pittsburgh.  Their team shooting percentage of 9.81% leads all Metro teams not named Pittsburgh, and two former Rangers have been able to claim at least partial credit to the success.

Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky, shipped out of New York in the 2012 trade for Rick Nash, have been key cogs to the success of the Blue Jackets this season.  Anisimov’s 19 goals are good for 2nd on the team and Dubinsky’s 41 points put him 2nd in total scoring, but hindsight is always 20-20, right?

Philadelphia Flyers 

Philadelphia is an interesting case, and if there were a category for “trending upward but possibly regressing to the mean”, they’d be in it.  I’ll explain why momentarily, but for now let’s take them at face value.

Philly is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.  They’ve strongly rebounded from a very sluggish start to the 2013-2014 season and look to be in prime position to make the post-season should they continue their high level of play.

When it’s all said and done, the Flyers should have at least six players tallying 20 goals or more for the season, an impressive feat no doubt.  They’ve been carried by strong play from Claude Giroux, who’s 69 points have him tied for 3rd in total scoring in the NHL.

Philadelphia, like Columbus, has two games in hand on their competition (Washington and New York).  The Flyers also sport winning records vs. Washington and New York (3-2 and 2-1 respectively).

The real story with Philadelphia is whether or not they’ll be able to rely on Steve Mason the rest of the way and into the post-season.  Their recent record is impressive no doubt about it, but it can hardly be credited to Mason, who has given up four goals in three of their last six games.  Consider also that during the 10 game stretch, Philadelphia scored three or more goals 8 out of 10 times.

Their defense has hardly been rock solid this year, even with the addition of Andrew MacDonald at the trade deadline.  Mason has faced more shots than any other goalie in the Metro division, with the exception of Marc-Andre Fleury and Henrik Lundqvist.  It’s hard to imagine that all of this won’t eventually catch up to the Flyers, but for the time being they find themselves in good position to make the post-season.

TRENDING DOWNWARD

New York Rangers

It’s easy to point the finger of blame in the Rangers organization this year.

There’s a new coach, new players, a new system and a goalie that, for all of his accolades and talent, hasn’t seemed quite right the entire year.

Since the beginning of February, the Rangers are 6-6-1, a microcosm of a maddening season of inconsistencies that cannot be blamed on just one phase of the game.

Sure, their 76 points have them (barely) in the 8th and final Wild Card position, but that accomplishment would reward them with a first round rematch against Boston, arguably the best team in the NHL right now and a team that undoubtably has the Rangers number.

The Rangers need to stop the bleeding and stop it fast, but they’ll need help from their struggling scorers to do it.

In seven games since being traded, Martin St.Louis has managed zero goals and only two points.  Rick Nash, who often catches the ire of the fan base when the team is not performing, has just four goals since January 23rd.  This is simply unacceptable if you still view Nash as an elite goal scorer in the NHL, but who can fault you if you don’t?

The Rangers team shooting percentage is an abysmal 7.62%, 27th overall in the NHL.  To put it in perspective, the only potential playoff team with a worse number than the Rangers is Los Angeles.  Despite a relatively easy schedule the rest of the way, if the Rangers want to avoid a colossal 2014 failure, they’ll need to start scoring.

Washington Capitals

Last, and potentially least, we have the Washington Capitals.

Washington (5-4-1 L10) has arguably the toughest schedule remaining amongst the contending Metro teams, including a three-game West Coast death trip with games against Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose.

Dustin Penner, who was brought to Washington as a big body to throw in front of goaltenders, hasn’t scored since being traded.  He has just one point in the seven games since becoming a Capital, but is hardly the only issue with this Washington team.

Jaroslav Halak, another trade deadline acquisition, has been nothing more than mediocre at best, sporting a dreadful 2.42 GAA in the five games he’s started for Washington.  In fact, Washington as a team gives up almost three goals per game on average (2.9 GAA for the season), 23rd overall in the NHL.  As far as potential playoff teams go, only Toronto has a worse number.

Mike Green and Alexander Ovechkin are a combined -45 on the year, absolutely unbelievable when you consider Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals with 45.  In fact, Ovechkin himself has a -31 rating on the year, 2nd worst amongst all players.

Unlike the previously mentioned teams, Washington would effectively be OUT if the post-season were to start today.

THE FINAL WORD

Based on strength of schedule alone and how well they’ve played lately, coupled with the fact that they’ve got two games in hand on both Washington and the NYR, it’s safe to assume Columbus will make the post-season.

That leaves three teams fighting for two remaining spots, one of which would almost certainly be the 8th and final wild card.  I’ll give one of those to Philadelphia based on the fact that they’ve got two games in hand on WSH and NYR.

I still think the Rangers steal the final wild card spot, solely because I know Henrik Lundqvist is a far better goaltender than anyone the Capitals want to trot out on the ice, but they’ll need to find an offensive rhythm that’s been missing since the Olympic break if they want any opportunity at causing some commotion in the post-season.