Two seasons ago and the Rangers net was nothing but a question mark. Heading into camp, Kevin Weekes was the designated starter with rookie Henrik Lundqvist looking to have the inside edge on the backup position. Lundqvist would ultimately unseat Weekes and the rest, as they say, is history.

Going into the 2007 camp, there’s no doubt who the starter will be. After being nominated for the Vezina Trophy in each of his first two seasons, Lundqvist looks destined to challenge his total of 70 games from last season.

The situation at backup also appears to be relatively clear, if not quite as certain. Veteran journeyman Stephen Valiquette has seen little NHL action in his career (just 440 minutes in 10 pro seasons), but his only victory (a 3-2 shootout win over the Blues) in the 2006-07 was a crucial one and perhaps convinced management that he was the best man for the job. The fact he only counts for $617,000 against the cap also helps his cause.

But while the tallest netminder to play in the NHL may have the inside track, there still remains an opportunity for rookie Al Montoya to perhaps edge his way into the line-up. The biggest challenges for Montoya will be his salary (which includes approximately $1 million in bonuses) and the ability to get playing time and a formative stage at his career. With Lundqvist expected to play 60-70 games, whoever backs him up is likely to be spending a lot of time manning the gate on the bench.

Aside from Valiquette and Montoya, there appears to be few other options for the Rangers. Chris Holt is entering his third year as a pro, but has struggled with fitness and consistency and may find it tough to raise above the ECHL level initially. Finnish standout Miikka Wiikman was signed to an AHL contract and could well win the backup spot in Hartford, while free agent signee Matt Zaba also figures to be in the mix for the minor league spots.

With five goalies under NHL contract, and a sixth under an AHL contract, it looks as if the Rangers camp roster is set. There’s always the chance that they will extend an invite to an unsigned netminder, but with few veterans now left on the market, look for the Rangers to go with what they’ve got.

Projected Line-up
Henrik Lundqvist – Starter
Stephen Valiquette – Backup

Al Montoya – AHL Starter
Miika Wiikman – AHL Backup

Chris Holt – ECHL Starter
Matt Zaba – ECHL Backup

Antoine LaFleur – Juniors

More Camp Coverage
OTG Training Camp Coverage
Training Camp – Center
Training Camp – Defense