Player Discussion Henrik Lundqvist

[Beacon]

He's the greatest Ranger ever. To me, it's not even close. For 13 seasons, he's been the dominant force of the team, usually the best player on the team, but at least top-2 in any season. Most seasons since the second lockout, the Rangers are golfish the second week of April in most seasons, and definitely the first week of May in all seasons. The heart, the skill, the demeanor is amazing.

But at this point, I hope he asks for a trade. I want him to win the Cup. He needs to play for a good team. Just too competitive to waste his last few years on a crap of a team that will be losing more than winning. This is not how his great career should end. And it will ruin his numbers too. There's a good chance this becomes the first non-lockout season when he fails to win 30 games, through no fault of his own. He'll reach 500 wins, but should've had 600+ if this franchise wasn't such a disaster. He deserves not to limp to 500 as he's getting rocked because the team sucks.

I would root for any team Lundqvist joins, even the Islanders and the Devils. Trade him. Trade him to a real Cup contender. Give Hank the chance to get a ring so that when he retires nobody will be able to say, "sure he had good numbers, but the only thing that matters is winning the Cup."

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[darko]

He wants a ring but he wants it in NY and nowhere else.

 

[haohmaru]

Rebuilds can happen quickly in this parity hell that is the NHL. Lundqvist won't go anywhere else unless he changes his mind (he won't). Don't kid yourself, if the Rangers do this right they can compete for a playoff spot next year. I'm curious how this is going to play out.

 

[nevesis]

"I feel very connected to my organization," Lundqvist said. "I'd rather play until I'm 44, to finally get the Cup, than to switch to another team."

He ain’t leaving. New York is his home, and he either wins it here or never does.

 

[Fataldogg]

Well, apparently he is inconsistent as per AV. Called him out when he is the only player on the team having a decent year.

Lundqvist has had a good season. And the fact that the gum chewing cancer called him out is laughable.

 

[will1066]

There had been no player thread before for Hank?

 

[Fitzy]

Brian Leetch still owns the greatest Ranger ever title in my mind.

Hank has won Olympic gold and WJC gold. We never know how long he'll be able to play effectively. I imagine that if he wants to go elsewhere it'll be to Frolunda.

Reading between the lines on his rebuild quotes, it seems to me that he's concerned about being asked to waive his NMC. I think he'd rather stay here no matter what the circumstances. I'd rather keep him and not Brian-Leetch force him out for a minimal return.

 

[Doctyl]

I heard he’s the reason we aren’t in a playoff spot

 

[Beacon]

There had been no player thread before for Hank?

I searched 10 pages deep, didn't see it. Amazingly, looks to have been none.

 

[haohmaru]

I searched 10 pages deep, didn't see it. Amazingly, looks to have been none.

It was the "all encompassing goalie mega thread" or whatever the f*** it was called.

 

[Beacon]

Brian Leetch still owns the greatest Ranger ever title in my mind.

Their birthdays are one day apart. The Rangers traded Leetch on his birthday! Talk about classless.

 

[haohmaru]

I heard he’s the reason we aren’t in a playoff spot

That horsecrap alone should get AV shown the door. How about taking one for the team and saying the coaching hasn't been good enough or the stupid AV system that has bled shots for years. Put AV in goal for a game and maybe he'll change his "system" whateve the hell it is.

 

[Beacon]

It was the "all encompassing goalie mega thread" or whatever the **** it was called.

So Sheterkin deserves a thread, but Lundqvist must share it with Pavelec and whoever else like Halverson?

 

[haohmaru]

So Sheterkin deserves a thread, but Lundqvist must share it with Pavelec and whoever else like Halverson?

I didn't start that thread and certainly wouldn't make that argument.

 

[Trxjw]

Love Hank. Hope he sticks through it and the team can win a cup on the other side.

That being said, like I mentioned in another thread, it's one thing to say he wants to ride with the team through the rebuild, but it's another to actually do it. He's an ultra competitive guy, and we can see the frustration in his face already. He looked exasperated when he was pulled the other night. Can he put up with 30 more games like that and come to camp next fall ready for more? Will he be able to be a leader in the room full of kids while he's getting shelled every night? It's going to be tough. You don't want him giving kids the death stare every time they make a rookie mistake.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Love Hank. Hope he sticks through it and the team can win a cup on the other side.

That being said, like I mentioned in another thread, it's one thing to say he wants to ride with the team through the rebuild, but it's another to actually do it. He's an ultra competitive guy, and we can see the frustration in his face already. He looked exasperated when he was pulled the other night. Can he put up with 30 more games like that and come to camp next fall ready for more? Will he be able to be a leader in the room full of kids while he's getting shelled every night? It's going to be tough. You don't want him giving kids the death stare every time they make a rookie mistake.

Well said. Its been a pretty nice ride of being somewhat to legitimately competitive during all of his seasons here. Larry Brooks had an amazing stat that Lundqvist has been a Ranger for 1,000+ games now and has never played a game eliminated from playoff contention. Thats amazing, and the departure from that environment might be jarring.

Hes a competitive guy and we'll see what happens. Ill always look back on his career with some small level of sadness if he never wins a cup - and thats with or without the Rangers. The guy deserves one.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

Well, apparently he is inconsistent as per AV. Called him out when he is the only player on the team having a decent year.

Lundqvist has had a good season. And the fact that the gum chewing cancer called him out is laughable.

If they weren’t thinking about firing AV prior to calling out Hank, I would have put him on notice just for doing it.

“Look, Alain, your team hasn’t been performing but we were willing to make some roster changes and see if giving you some different personnel might yield better results but... you just called out your 36 year old franchise goaltender whose jersey is going straight to the rafters as the most consistent NHL goaltender of the past 15 years for being inconsistent, while he is in the midst of actually playing extremely well. We realized you’re the problem. You obviously have zero ability to accurately assess your players nor take any accountability for your own failings.”

 

[Ori]

Rebuilds can happen quickly in this parity hell that is the NHL. Lundqvist won't go anywhere else unless he changes his mind (he won't). Don't kid yourself, if the Rangers do this right they can compete for a playoff spot next year. I'm curious how this is going to play out.

They need to hit on new hot prospect though, and Lias & Chytil can`t regress too much part of their developing cycle.

 

[EdJovanovski]

I'll cry like a baby when he finally hoists the cup with the Rangers

 

[Kupo]

I'll cry like a baby when he finally hoists the cup with the Rangers

I shed tears during when Richters 35 was raised. I’ll shed even more when #30 is rightfully up there as well.

In my heart, he’s undoubtedly the greatest Ranger ever.

Pisses me off that we couldn’t ice a team that he didn’t have to carry.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

What did AV say about Hank?

 

[Trxjw]

Well said. Its been a pretty nice ride of being somewhat to legitimately competitive during all of his seasons here. Larry Brooks had an amazing stat that Lundqvist has been a Ranger for 1,000+ games now and has never played a game eliminated from playoff contention. Thats amazing, and the departure from that environment might be jarring.

Hes a competitive guy and we'll see what happens. Ill always look back on his career with some small level of sadness if he never wins a cup - and thats with or without the Rangers. The guy deserves one.

Yeah if there ever was a guy that deserved a cup, it's him. But the point you made about having never played a game while eliminated from playoff contention is a big one. He's never had to face this situation in his time here. It'll be an interesting story line as the rebuild unfolds.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

I think AV should be tortured for eternity for blaming the goaltending for the collapse of this team while he makes the worst lineup decisions, has the worst system, and gets destroyed by every coach in the match up game

 

[FireGerardGallant]

What did AV say about Hank?

That the reason we're not in the playoffs is inconsistent goaltending

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I think AV should be tortured for eternity for blaming the goaltending for the collapse of this team while he makes the worst lineup decisions, has the worst system, and gets destroyed by every coach in the match up game

I usually defend AV, but that quote was ridiculous and opportunistic. Lundqvist was getting peppered with 35+ shots nightly and got this team a lot of wins before the all-star break. To try to portray that the team has been playing well and is a victim to the ebbs and flows of the goaltending is just simply untrue.