Rumor: Lundqvist is done with the Rangers

With the New York Rangers dropping a 4-1 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes yesterday afternoon, the team’s 2019-20 season is officially over. The Rangers were outmatched and outplayed in a three game sweep by the Hurricanes, despite some strong play from netminders Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin.   

The rookie Shesterkin has electrified Rangers fans since arriving earlier this season and put up a remarkable 2.52 goals against average and .932 save percentage in 12 regular season games. It’s clear that Shesterkin is the future for the Rangers in goal, but beyond him things get murky…

What do the Rangers do with a franchise icon like Lundqvist? He’s put up 15 incredible seasons for this team and now he’s been relegated to back up duty, despite clearly still having some game left in him. Complicating matters further is 24 year old Alexandar Georgiev who established himself as a bonafide NHL goalie this season too. Is King Henrik now third on the depth chart in NYC and what does that mean for his future? 

Several Rangers insiders including Larry Brooks and Morgan Campbell are predicting an offseason split between Lundqvist and the Rangers. Reading between the lines of Lundqvist’s teammates words and it indeed sounds like King Henrik is moving on.

“He wants to win more than anyone,” longtime teammate Kris Kreider told reporters at the virtual news conference, adding, “He deserved better from us.”

If this is indeed the end of the road for Lundqvist in the Rangers organization, they’ll have a difficult time moving his $8.5 million annual contract. There’s just one year remaining on the deal and they could eat up to 50% of that salary, but even then… over $4 million is an awful lot to pay for a 38 year old back up goalie. Is retirement Lundqvist’s only option?

If this is indeed the end, Lundqvist will go down in history as the team's all-time greatest goaltender. His 459 wins rank him #1 ahead of Mike Richter and his 64 shutouts rank him #1 ahead of Eddie Giacomin. Like Giacomin and unlike Richter though, Lundqvist was never able to win a Stanley Cup championship, getting close in 2014 but ultimately losing to the Los Angels Kings in five games.