The Rangers were largely spoiled this past season by their backup goaltender, Jaroslav Halak.
After an 0-5-1 start, Halak went 10-4-4 the rest of the way while playing more games than he had since 2019-20.
The Rangers signed the 38-year-old Slovakian to a one-year, $1.5 million deal last offseason after they traded their backup of five seasons, Alexandar Georgiev, to the Avalanche.
That means the Rangers could be in the market for a new No. 2 netminder, but they likely won’t have much more than $1 million to spare under their current cap crunch.
The Post’s Mollie Walker takes a look at the available goaltending options that make the most sense:
Jaroslav Halak
When asked by The Post in February about his future, Halak was naturally noncommittal, but in a way that made it seem as if he wasn’t quite done with hockey just yet.
Halak is just five wins away from 300 for his career, a feat that only 39 other NHL goalies have ever achieved.
It is safe to guess he would want to accomplish that before hanging up the skates.
The Rangers likely won’t be able to offer Halak a contract similar to the one he signed last July, but maybe he would stay for less if it meant getting the same regular-season workload and being a part of a contending team.
Considering how well-suited Halak was for the role, the Rangers may want to prioritize him. It is believed both sides are open to a return.
Louis Domingue
The Rangers have an in-house option who is already on the books: Louis Domingue, who spent the entire 2022-23 season with the club’s AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
He went 22-12-8 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.51 goals-against average, while also posting four shutouts.
Domingue has only appeared in 10 NHL contests over the past four seasons, including six in the playoffs for the Penguins in 2021-22, when they lost to the Rangers in seven games.
If the Rangers are really pressed for cap space, they could turn to Domingue as the cheapest ($775,000 cap hit) and easiest option, but the organization tends to like having a reliable veteran in the backup role.
Going with Domingue would also allow Dylan Garand, the Rangers’ 103rd-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, to get a starter’s workload in Hartford.
The hope is that Garand will get 40-45 AHL games next season and establish himself as the Wolf Pack’s No. 1.
Brian Elliott
If it doesn’t work out with Halak, Brian Elliott could be a similar option for the Rangers.
He’s a veteran of 543 games with plenty of playoff experience, even though his last taste of the postseason was during the qualifying round of the 2020 bubble playoffs with the Flyers.
Elliott should also be well within the Rangers’ budget after the 38-year-old competed on a one-year, $900,000 deal this season.
The Canadian netminder posted a 12-8-2 record this season for the Lightning with a 3.40 GAA and a .891 save percentage.
Alex Nedeljkovic
A Calder Trophy finalist in 2021-22, Alex Nedeljkovic is the kind of goalie who is more suited for a tandem, and potentially could become a No. 1.
Because he played more in the AHL this past season than he did in the NHL with the Red Wings, the 27-year-old is presumably looking for an opportunity that would keep him in the big league.
His numbers (5-7-2 record, 3.53 GAA and .895 save percentage) this season are probably more of a reflection of Detroit as a whole rather than Nedeljkovic’s capabilities.
In his final season with the Hurricanes, he went 15-5-3 with a 1.90 GAA and a .932 save percentage.
Perhaps a one-year deal as a backup for a relevant team could help him establish himself in the NHL.
Thomas Greiss
Competing on his third team in the last four seasons, Thomas Greiss has been on a steady decline since he was an Islander for five seasons from 2015 to 2020.
He posted a 7-10 record with a 3.64 GAA and a .896 save percentage for the Blues this season on a one-year deal that carried a $1.25 million cap hit.
Greiss and his 368 games of NHL experience present a veteran option, in addition to an affordable one considering the circumstances, but it would likely mean a bit of a drop-off in play.
He appeared to be a good locker room guy when he was with the Islanders, which is always a bonus when a team considers bringing in new players.
David Rittich
The Jets probably don’t want to let David Rittich walk. He has been an adequate backup to Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck, and for the bargain price of $900,000. That’s a contract that would fit nicely for the Rangers.
This season, Rittich went 9-8-1 with a 2.67 GAA and a .901 save percentage. He owns a career save percentage of .904 over his seven years in the NHL. There’s experience there, albeit just two postseason games to his name.
Jonathan Quick
It’s not known if Jonathan Quick would actually take a deal the Rangers could afford, but the two-time Stanley Cup champion is available this offseason. How could we not include him on this list?
The Kings traded their franchise netminder to Vegas, where Quick went 5-2-2 with a .901 save percentage and a 3.13 GAA.
He dropped off at the end of the season, which led to the Golden Knights not using him at all in the playoffs.
Quick is 37 and has mileage on him, however, so the Rangers may not want to take the risk that he wouldn’t be able to deliver consistently, as Halak was able to for a majority of the season.
Quick posted a record of 16-15-6 with a 3.41 GAA and an .822 save percentage in 2022-23 with the Kings and the Golden Knights.
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