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Rangers trade for Joonas Korpisalo to create backup goalie competition
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- Rangers trade for Joonas Korpisalo to create backup goalie competition
The Rangers acquired goalie Joonas Korpisalo from the Bruins.
The Rangers always intended to bring in competition for the backup goalie role that was vacated by Jonathan Quick at the end of last season.
That much was evident from the organization's apparent hesitancy to turn to the 24-year-old Dylan Garand during a critical point last season, when both Quick and No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin had separate stints on injured reserve in December and January, respectively.
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It made the acquisition of veteran goalie Joonas Korpisalo during the first day of free agency Wednesday an unsurprising development.
The Blueshirts traded a 2028 fourth-round pick and forward prospect Kalle Vaisanen to the Bruins to bring Korpisalo in as direct competition for Garand, who signed a two-year extension with the Rangers just last month.
Korpisalo posted an .894 save percentage for Boston last season, in addition to saving 13.49 goals more than expected, per Evolving-Hockey.
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In 334 games over his 11-year NHL career, the 32-year-old has a 140-126-38 record with a .900 save percentage and a 3.06 goals-against average. He's quite familiar with the backup role.
Considering the big picture of Garand's time in the Rangers organization, the trade for Korpisalo appears to be a reflection of how the team currently values its 2020 fourth-round pick.
The Rangers acquired goalie Joonas Korpisalo from the Bruins. Getty Images
Despite Garand going 2-0-1 with a .948 save percentage and a 1.62 goals-against average during his end-of-season cameo, the Rangers clearly wanted some insurance at the position.
Shesterkin is no iron man. The Rangers must make the right call on their backup to account for the likelihood of Shesterkin missing time due to injury, which has been a constant throughout his seven years in New York.
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Bringing in Korpisalo gives the Rangers another backup option if they still don't fully trust Garand.
Since the Senators retained $1 million of Korpisalo's $4 million cap hit in his trade to Boston, the Rangers get the 32-year-old netminder on the books for $3 million. If Garand were to seize the role out of the four-game preseason, burying Korpisalo in the AHL would cost the Rangers $1.775 million as a penalty against the cap.
Both Garand and Korpisalo would require waivers to be sent to the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford.
The structure of Garand's contract extension appeared to give both sides protection as they figure out if it's a fit long term. While the first year is a two-way deal that will pay him $450,000 less at the AHL level, Year 2 becomes a one-way deal and will see Garand make $900,000 no matter where he is playing.
The Rangers bolstered the middle six and fourth line with a couple of free agent signings.
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Oliver Bjorkstrand signed a one-year deal with the Rangers for $4.5 million after leaving the Lightning as a free agent. A right wing who has surpassed 30 points in each of his past nine seasons, Bjorkstrand is extremely versatile in a lineup and has proven capable of contributing 20-plus goals.
Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) makes a save against Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand (22). Brad Penner-Imagn Images
In a reduced role in Tampa Bay last season, Bjorkstrand posted 12 goals and 20 assists in 80 games. His 32 points were his lowest since the 2016-17 campaign, when he spent a majority of the season in the AHL.
Signing Joe Veleno to a one-year deal with an average annual value of $1.2 million, the Rangers have slated the 26-year-old as their fourth-line center .
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A first-round pick (30th overall) in 2018, Veleno is still young and considered to be untapped talent. He was limited to just five points (two goals, three assists) in 61 regular-season games for Montreal, which did not tender him a qualifying offer.
Left-handed defenseman Marc Del Gaizo signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Rangers for just a bit more than the league minimum of $875,000 at the NHL level.
Another UMass alum to come through the Rangers organization, Del Gaizo has primarily played in the AHL over the past six seasons. He got his most notable NHL opportunity with the Predators, for whom he played 55 games over two seasons.
