One
of the few things considered a need, at least at the NHL level, for the New
York Rangers this offseason is goaltending.
Having perennial Vezina contender Henrik Lundqvist installed as the
starter and backbone of the team along with excellent backup Martin Biron there
is little need to look for a goalie.
However, things are murkier beyond the NHL level. To add to the confusion, according to a Swedish
website, the New York Rangers are among five teams interesting in signing
Viktor Fasth.
Fasth
is the 28-year-old Swedish goaltender who many saw play against Team USA in the
World Championships. This past season
while playing for AIK in the Swedish Elite League (SEL) Fasth won the Honken
Trophy as the best goaltender in the league.
The SEL is widely considered the second best league in the world behind
the NHL.
Fasth
would be added to recently signed Jason Missiaen along with Chad Johnson, Cam
Talbot, Dov Grumet-Morris and potentially Scott Stacjer. Chad Johnson is a restricted free agent this
summer and while he showed potential in his first year in the organization both
at the AHL level and as a potential NHL backup he lost his job this season to
both Cam Talbot and free agent Grumet-Morris.
Johnson is definitely a candidate to move on this summer.
Talbot
is under contract for next season so he will definitely still be around with the
Whale while Grumet-Morris is another goalie they will have to make a decision
on. He came to the Whale this year on a
try-out and by the time the season was over he was the playoff goalie.
If
the Rangers are seriously considering Fasth it would likely be for the AHL next
season with an eye to making him the backup for Lundqvist after next season if
Biron moves along.
Hat-tip
to Blue
Line Station for finding this story.
