Reimer in Hartford, Glendening at Center: The Rangers Patch What They Can

The Rangers have spent the past week doing what you do when a season-ending injury hits your most important player — they've been filling holes. James Reimer signed a PTO with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, giving the organization an experienced hand one call-up away if Garand hits a wall. Luke Glendening came in on a PTO at center, depth insurance at a position the team wanted shored up. Neither move changes the fundamental situation, but that's not really the point of moves like these.

The fundamental situation is that Igor Shesterkin — the 2022 Vezina winner, the best goaltender this franchise has had in a generation — went down with a right knee injury in Washington on October 10th and won't be back this season. Joonas Korpisalo is also on IR. That left Dylan Garand, who was on waivers less than two weeks before the injury, as the guy. He made 19 saves in a win two days after Shesterkin went down, which was the right result at the right time.

The organization has said publicly it believes it can sustain winning through this. That's the posture you take. The Rangers also missed the playoffs the past two years, so the margin for a long stumble is thin. Garand holds the crease, Reimer sits in Hartford, and the rest of the roster has to carry more than it expected to in October.