Pavelec has been linked to the Rangers with free agency looming, Darren Dreger of TSN reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 29-year-old backstop will officially become an unrestricted free agent Saturday. Despite falling out of favor in Winnipeg and playing in only eight NHL contests, Pavelec could be an ideal fit for a Rangers team that lost backup netminder Antti Raanta to the Coyotes in last week's trade for Anthony DeAngelo and the seventh overall pick in the 2017 draft -- New York selected Swedish pivot Lias Andersson. Pavelec banked $19.5 million annually over the five years of his most recent contract, but we figure he wouldn't come close to that figure playing second fiddle to Henrik Lundqvist in the Big Apple. After all, he posted a 3.55 GAA along with a similarly weak .888 save percentage in that eight-game curtain call with the Jets.