RUMOR: Rangers Looking To Add Defensive Help

A 7-6 loss at the hands of the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night has New York Rangers fans and members of the media cracking open the team's supposed shortcomings. 

For the first time in quite a few years, there is noise surrounding just how much more effective the soon-to-be 35-year-old goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will be moving forward. Lately, the 11-year veteran netminder and career Blueshirts starting goalie has struggled to stop pucks on a consistent basis. There's no denying that the Swede can be significantly better between the pipes, as his 2.89 goals-against average and .902 save percentage are far below not only his team's expectations, but his own as well. 

Many point to systematic breakdowns that inevitably force Lundqvist to "cheat" in his positioning, despite knowing that all along, his unorthodox style of playing deep in his crease is part of what makes him so unique. Still, interesting questions are raised when looking at how the goaltender often seems to be left out to dry by his teammates. Offsetting the loss of Anti Raanta, who is due back shortly after the upcoming All-Star celebrations, can prove to be a tough challenge, but perhaps the problem with the Rangers can be found right outside the blue paint. 

Admittedly, the loss of defenseman Marc Staal (sidelined with the third concussion of his career) has left a gaping hole on the second defensive pairing, and NHL.com's Dan Rosen believes that general manager Jeff Gorton will certainly look to shore up his blue line at the upcoming trade deadline. 

The name most commonly associated with the Rangers is that of St. Louis Blues' Kevin Shattenkirk, who despite being very comfortable in the Western Conference and, arguably, with a Stanley Cup contending team, perhaps could be enticed to join a huge high-profile market such as New York's. The asking price will depend on whether Gorton is willing to part ways with JT Miller or even Hobey-Baker award-winning rookie Jimmy Vesey in a package deal of sorts, though that remains to be seen. 

After all, it's clear that offensive depth is not the issue moving forward. An overall 28-16-1 record might not be cause for concern for the Rangers, but they are a .500 team during their last 10 games, and sit fourth in the increasingly challenging Metropolitan Division.