Dylan Garland will have to delay his NHL debut for a bit longer.
The Rangers opted to bring up Spencer Martin from AHL Hartford on Tuesday due to Igor Shesterkin’s lower-body injury.
Jonathan Quick, who stepped in for Shesterkin during Monday’s loss to Utah at Madison Square Garden, is expected to perform well while Shesterkin is on IR, but the team faces the challenge of relying on the veteran as he approaches his 40th birthday next month.
Garland, 23, was drafted by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. He is currently in his fourth full season with the Wolfpack and has a 2.67 goals-against average in 17 games this season. It seems, however, that the organization thinks he’s not quite ready for the NHL yet.
He was called up to back up Shesterkin early this season when Quick was injured, but he didn’t see action in any of the four games he was on the roster.
As for the reasoning behind acquiring Martin, the Rangers are choosing experience—the 30-year-old has played for four NHL teams over five seasons, including nine games with Carolina last year, where he posted a 3.89 goals-against average and a .846 save percentage.
Martin was also called up for two games earlier this year during Quick’s absence, but like Garland, he didn’t get into any games.
The team also announced Tuesday that Brett Berard will head to Hartford, and Miller is close to returning from an upper-body injury.
Even with a healthy Shesterkin, the Rangers have struggled, mostly due to their difficulty in scoring.
This has been a recurring issue throughout the season. Recently, they’ve managed to score three or more goals only once in their last five games.
Consequently, they’ve dropped in the Eastern Conference standings, with only one of those games resulting in a win.
In a recent match against the Mammoths, although they led going into the third period, they allowed Utah to tie and ultimately lost in overtime.
Coach Mike Sullivan pointed out that the Rangers lacked the necessary intensity early in the third period.
“Our challenge is to bring more consistency,” he mentioned.
This difficulty is partly why the team hasn’t secured a regulation win at the Garden since November 24.
Braden Schneider emphasized the need to maintain composure when they have a lead, stating, “We need to increase our pace to make sure we’re on the winning side.”
If Shesterkin remains out for an extended period, things could become even tougher.
Following another home defeat, the Rangers will play three of their next four games at home, aiming for a postseason berth despite their recent challenges.
The upcoming schedule includes a four-game series against a strong Buffalo team starting Thursday, followed by a visit to Philadelphia, and then a three-game stretch on the West Coast.
