On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The New York Rangers have been among the strongest teams in the NHL to start the 2023-24 season. One of the main reasons for their success has been the strength and consistency of their goaltending tandem in Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick. It helped big time when Shesterkin went down with an injury earlier in the season that their third-string goaltender Louis Domingue was able to provide solid play in his absence. With many teams looking to upgrade their goaltending tandem, it seems as though he has been gaining some interest from teams who aren’t looking to break the bank.
In only one game with the Rangers this season, Domingue allowed one goal and posted a .962 save percentage (SV%) proving he still has what it takes to play in a tandem role with an NHL team. In 13 games in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Rangers’ minor-league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, he has posted a 2.44 goals-against average (GAA) and a .913 SV%. While he likely isn’t a starting goaltender for any contending team, for a team like the Carolina Hurricanes or Edmonton Oilers who need to add depth, he is the perfect option.
With a league minimum cap hit at the age of 31, Domingue is a prime candidate for a trade. Luke Fox, an analyst for Sportsnet, mentions that he has been drawing trade interest around the league. He was talking specifically about the Toronto Maple Leafs who have been struggling between the pipes this season, but they aren’t the only team who may reach out to the Rangers to see what the price could be to bring him in.
What Teams Make Sense To Target Domingue?
Several teams could make a run at Domingue. The first team is the Oilers, who I mentioned earlier. Their issues between the pipes have been atrocious and while Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have provided enough for the Oilers to be fighting their way back into the playoff picture, they’re still on the outside looking in and could use an upgrade. With their tight cap space as well, Domingue being a cheap option would be ideal for them and it wouldn’t be tough to make a deal.
The other teams I mentioned earlier were the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes who both have been having issues in goal, similar to the Oilers. All three of those teams have had their expected starting goaltenders underperform. Ilya Samsonov on the Maple Leafs was sent down several days ago, Antti Raanta for the Hurricanes was temporarily sent down, and Jack Campbell has been in the AHL for quite some time now, and isn’t expected to play another game in an Oilers jersey. With uncertainty for all three teams, it would be no surprise if all of them took a swing at Domingue.
Another team I wonder about is the Nashville Predators, but only if they end up trading Juuse Saros. If they trade him for a massive package to a contending team, I wonder if they’d turn to the Rangers and try to add Domingue to stabilize their depth. Yaroslav Asakrov has proven he is ready to take the next step into the NHL, but I think they’d feel more comfortable with three goalies who can play at the NHL level just in case one starts to fall off and underperform.
What’s Next For The Rangers?
The Rangers are back in action tonight in a battle of two powerhouse Metropolitan Division teams as they take on the Hurricanes. The Rangers are first in the division while the Hurricanes are second, and the Rangers are seven points ahead with two games in hand, so this is a massive game for both teams.
Domingue is lighting up the AHL and will be ready to come up should any more injuries occur. It’s understandable why he’s gaining trade interest and the Rangers may have trouble parting with him if he continues to prove he can be a solid depth option. However, regardless of what they choose to do with him, this 2023-24 Rangers roster has nothing but a Stanley Cup in mind, so they’ll be trying to make the right moves to make a real run at a championship.
More must-reads:
- Astros get pitching help just in the nick of time
- Eagles get big injury scare at practice regarding key starter
- The 'NFL Defensive Players of the Year ' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Red Wings Announce Major Change for Their 100th Season and Fans Are Fired Up
The Red Wings have announced that they are bringing back their iconic 'Hockeytown' logo to center ice at Little Caesars Arena for their 100th year in the NHL. A somewhat familiar look is coming back to center ice at Little Caesars Arena, which has been the home of the Detroit Red Wings since 2017. A special fan polling has resulted in the announcement that the iconic former 'Hockeytown' logo from Joe Louis Arena, their former home, is coming back as part of a new special logo for the team's 100th year. Asia Gholston, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, released the following statement. The center ice fan vote, launched in partnership with Meijer, was a great way to get fans involved in Red Wings Centennial right from the start. Through an incredible response to this vote, fans have made it clear they're fired up for what's to come in celebrating 100 years of Hockeytown, which is only possible due to their unwavering support for the Winged Wheel. The Red Wings featured the 'Hockeytown' logo at Joe Louis Arena in 1996, which remained until the building's closure in 2017. The Red Wings then used the same logo in their 1st year at Little Caesars Arena, but since then have just utilized a large team logo. The Red Wings celebrate their 100th year in the NHL The Red Wings were founded in 1926, but are in the midst of the longest drought of postseason hockey in their history. Considering that they've now been around for 100 years, that postseason absence is a surprising statistic. Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has started to feel some heat for having not been able to get the team to the postseason in each of his first 6 years on the job.
Steelers Rookie Kaleb Johnson Gets Very Honest Rating In First Game Against Jacksonville
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted running back Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Johnson comes to the Steel City after a tremendous career at Iowa, where he routinely faced stacked defensive fronts and still found ways to excel. The Steelers clearly believe he has the physicality, vision, and work ethic to contribute right away, especially in an offense that prides itself on a strong running game. In the Steelers’ first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh came away with a 31-25 victory. Johnson saw limited but notable action, carrying the football eight times for 20 yards and catching one pass for six yards. While his stat line didn’t jump off the page, his debut provided the coaching staff with an initial look at how he adjusts to NFL speed and physicality. Following the game, former Steelers two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Hoke appeared on the KDKA Nightly Sports Call to give his honest assessment of Johnson’s first NFL outing. Hoke noted that while Johnson showed flashes of his college toughness, he still needs to work on reading NFL-level defenses and hitting the hole with more urgency. He emphasized that preseason is about learning and adapting, and that Johnson has the tools to grow into a productive player for Pittsburgh if he embraces the grind. "On the one sack earlier in the game, Mason [Rudolph] wanted to check it down to him and he stayed in to protect," Hoke said Saturday on the KDKA Nightly Sports Call. "There's been a lot of talk about, 'Can Kaleb Johnson protect?' That's a big part of why he needs to be out there getting these reps, because he needs to protect Aaron Rodgers in the regular season. He stayed in there too long, didn't leak out for the safety valve, but Kaleb Johnson broke tackles." Hoke, as a whole, sounded very pleased with what he saw from Johnson. While the stats were not impressive, the eye test revealed Johnson’s burst and vision. Perhaps his best moment came when he planted Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter into the turf. Hoke acknowledged that Johnson still has plenty to work on but expressed confidence that he can get there. "A lot of times when you are a running back and you get to a hole, you are going to have a guy there," Hoke continued. "You've got to make the first guy miss. He stiffed-arm, he got outside, got some positive yardage when a lot of times we saw last year running backs were going down on contact at the first guy. So, I really like what I see from Kaleb Johnson." The Steelers’ running back room looks noticeably different heading into the 2025 season. Like several other key positions on the roster, it underwent a complete overhaul. Pittsburgh will open the year with a one-two punch of Jaylen Warren and Johnson, though many analysts believe Johnson could begin stealing carries from Warren as the season progresses and eventually emerge as the lead back. Steelers Could Have A Punishing Rushing Attack In addition to Warren and Johnson, the Steelers added veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell in the offseason. Fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles, Gainwell brings playoff experience and versatility to the group. Together, this trio will be the foundation that Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith and Head Coach Mike Tomlin lean on to power the offense. If the Steelers are serious about being legitimate contenders in 2025, their ground game will need to set the tone early and often. With Smith’s physical, run-first philosophy and a backfield that blends youth, experience, and explosiveness, Pittsburgh has the pieces to build one of the most punishing rushing attacks in the league.
Commanders' signing of former third-round pick shows their opinions on the position group, and might foreshadow a current injury
Washington Commanders HC Dan Quinn spoke with the media before practice today and continued to express his displeasure with the team's results in their blowout loss on Friday night. He spoke about the depth he likes on the team, but also hinted at some positions that could use some help. Quinn also said that the team would be working out a handful of players following practice today, and that they are always willing to improve the team where it's possible. Well, the Commanders signed a player today following the workouts that could hint at what Quinn was talking about, and more. Commanders sign former third-round pick The Commanders are signing a former third-round pick in LB Duke Riley, who was actually drafted by the Atlanta Falcons when Dan Quinn was the head coach there. This signing comes after the Commanders worked out 14 players after practice today, which contained seven linebackers and no wide receivers. After the performance we saw in the first preseason game on defense and special teams, these workouts shouldn't be surprising though. Riley was a starting linebacker in Atlanta when he was drafted in 2017, and eventually landed in Miami in 2021, where he has been a rotational linebacker and special-teams defender. That tells me a lot about what they saw on film after watching the first preseason game. Could the writing be on the wall? This immediately raises two flags for me: who would he replace on special teams, and what does this mean for the health of another linebacker? When you go back and watch the film, Dominique Hampton did not look good at all at his new linebacker position, and I don't have him making the active roster. The team also drafted Kain Medrano, who is listed as a linebacker on the depth chart by the team. Other than that, the Commanders have no true depth at linebacker. You have a special-teams ace who can't play linebacker, and a linebacker who can't play special teams. That's not a good combo for roster cuts. Veteran Nick Bellore has been an outstanding special-teams player, but could his lack of ability at linebacker cost the 36-year-old? Hopeful second-round linebacker Jordan Magee has so much potential, but he's already dealing with an undisclosed injury after playing only 16 snaps in his rookie season due to injuries. Signing Riley, who can rotate at linebacker and be a key special-teams piece, means that the team either doesn't like what they saw on film with special teams, or they aren't sure if Magee can stay healthy. Either way, this signing is filling in two major needs right now.
Warriors Take Strong Stance on Jonathan Kuminga Trade
The Golden State Warriors want free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga to agree to the contract they offered this summer. The last deal the Warriors presented to the young forward was a two-year $45 million contract. However, Kuminga still declined it and insists on his desire to have at least a $30 million salary per season. The Warriors want to move on from Kuminga. By giving him a team-friendly contract, they believe it'll be easier to facilitate a sign-and-trade. However, the 22-year-old wants to have a bigger deal than what Golden State has offered. Most people think it's because of the contract extensions that his fellow 2021 draftees have signed with their teams. For example, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs signed a five-year, $150 million extension. Another player who has had a better deal with their team was Franz Wagner. Wagner signed a five-year, $224 million extension with the Magic and was drafted after Kuminga. The Warriors Are Putting Their Foot Down Kuminga has not received a fresh offer from the Warriors, and it appears that it will remain the same. NBA insider Jake Fischer of "The Stein Line" revealed that the organization isn't looking forward to making any amendments to their two-year deal for the forward. "But Golden State, sources say, is not open to amending its stance on the second year of the two-year, $45 million offer it has extended to the 22-year-old swingman. The Warriors are insistent that Year 2 is a team option; Kuminga would naturally prefer a player option," Fischer wrote. There's a stalemate between the two sides, as they both want what's best for their current situation. Kuminga believes in his talent and wants to earn like a starter. Fischer added that the current state might extend until September. This gives the 6-foot-8 forward less time to decide what his next step should be. The Warriors would still prefer that Kuminga accepts the offer, to make it easier for them to make a trade. "The sides thus remain locked into a staring contest that some well-placed observers believe could drag into September at this rate. Kuminga has until Oct. 1 to accept his $8 million qualifying offer for the 2025-26 season and bet on himself to capitalize once he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer." Kuminga is rumored to be part of a trade that would allow the Warriors to acquire guard-forward Josh Giddey.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
