The New York Ranger’s Add a Wall to Their Outstanding Netminding Core

The New York Rangers signed one of their top goaltending prospects, Tyler Wall, to an entry-level contract. His contract begins at the start of the 2020-21 season. The Rangers selected him in the sixth round, 174th overall, of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Wall will join two other young goaltenders, Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev, to mind the nets for years to come after Henrik Lundqvist decides to hang up his skates.

Wall appeared in 32 games with UMass Lowell this season, posting an 18-8-6 record, along with a 2.10 GAA, a .931 SV%, and two shutouts. The 6-3, 214-pounder appeared in 103 collegiate career games over four seasons (2016-17 – 2019-20) with UMass Lowell, posting a 58-34-10 record, along with a 2.28 GAA, a .918 SV%, and nine shutouts.

Wall was named to the Hockey East Third All-Star Team this season. Wall appeared/started in 32 of UMass Lowell’s 34 games in 2019-20, and he earned all of the team’s wins during the season. He also served as an alternate captain in 2019-20, becoming the first UMass Lowell goaltender to wear either a ‘C’ or an ‘A’ on his jersey since Dwayne Roloson in 1993-94. Wall also helped UMass Lowell win the Hockey East Championship in 2016-17, and he was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team. He posted a 2.10 GAA or better in three of his four collegiate seasons.

The twenty-two-year-old is not just another pretty face tending nets as his major at UMass-Lowell was Mechanical Engineering.

Wall’s 58 career wins with UMass Lowell are the most by a goaltender since the school began playing in Division 1, and he broke Dwayne Roloson’s record of 51 wins during the 2019-20 season. He allowed two goals or fewer in 22 of his 32 appearances this season, including one goal or fewer in eight different appearances. Wall was named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on six different occasions this season.

As far as his future as a Blueshirt, dobberprospects.com believes that Wall will compete with Adam Huska for the starting job in Hartford of the AHL. Should that position be granted to the more experienced of the two, Wall could see his professional career begin in the ECHL with the Maine Mariners. In either case, a consistent opportunity to play is the most critical aspect of his development. He is likely due for two or more years in the minor leagues before an NHL opportunity comes knocking.