Confirmed with Link: Rangers re-sign Henrik Lundqvist [7 years, $59.5M, $8.5M AAV, Full NMC]

[haohmaru]

Article from late March that puts Lundqvist in the proper perspective: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=662735

 

[MTrangers]

And which forward would that be?

I never said there was a specific player I had in mind and I also realize someone with a contract that high is rarely available. But I just think the game is moving in a direction where goaltending varies much less than skaters, more so than it already does. I think a goalie worth 8 million a year compared to a goalie worth 2 million is a much smaller gap than a skater making 8 mill vs a skater making with 2 mill. I'm just not sure it's a recipe to winning Cups in the cap era. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[haohmaru]

Show me a 2 million dollar goalie with stats anywhere near Henrik's over the past 8 years.

284 wins in 8+ seasons, .920 career save %, 2.26 GAA. The guy is a model for consistency, the face of the franchise, and our best player.

 

[The Gloaming]

Show me a 2 million dollar goalie with stats anywhere near Henrik's over the past 8 years.

284 wins in 8+ seasons, .920 career save %, 2.26 GAA. The guy is a model for consistency, the face of the franchise, and our best player.

Cam Talbot.

 

[haohmaru]

Cam Talbot.

Haha. He doesn't have as many career wins as Lundqvist has seasons.

Let's look at this another way:

Henrik is probably universally regarded as the NYR best player. Show me an NHL team that didn't sign their UFA best player in recent memory or traded him away for draft picks. Ie... Crosby, Toews, Stamkos, Getzlaf, etc... And not someone who was "out of favor with the organization" or whatever.

 

[haveandare]

In my opinion, putting such a huge chunk of cap on the goaltender position is not a good way to build a champion. His playoff record is very middling, and not just because the team struggles to score (see: 2012, game 5, New Jersey). I was going to say that now it'll be difficult to upgrade the O, but with Gordie Clark on a perpetual mission to find the next Dubinsky or McIlrath, I guess it's a moot point.

What?

Last year's postseason, Hank posted a .934 SV% and 2.14 GAA over 12 games. That's not middling at all. Two goalies had a better SV% than him: Rask and Quick.

 

[Bluenote13]

Giddyup !

 

[darko]

In my opinion, putting such a huge chunk of cap on the goaltender position is not a good way to build a champion. His playoff record is very middling, and not just because the team struggles to score (see: 2012, game 5, New Jersey). I was going to say that now it'll be difficult to upgrade the O, but with Gordie Clark on a perpetual mission to find the next Dubinsky or McIlrath, I guess it's a moot point.

Well you are wrong.

2.28 GAA and .920 SV% in playoffs. Those are excellent numbers. Lundqvist is the last person we should blame for not advancing.

 

[Chimpradamus]

In my opinion, putting such a huge chunk of cap on the goaltender position is not a good way to build a champion. His playoff record is very middling, and not just because the team struggles to score (see: 2012, game 5, New Jersey). I was going to say that now it'll be difficult to upgrade the O, but with Gordie Clark on a perpetual mission to find the next Dubinsky or McIlrath, I guess it's a moot point.

If Lundqvist's playoff performances are middling, on the same scale the NYR playoff performances are beyond pathetic. I've watched the team since the lockout and especially the playoff rounds have been - for the most part - a horror show. Even in the golden season where they ended up in 1st place in the conference, they were outplayed by both Ottawa(8th) and Washington(7th) respectively and barely managed to squeak by in terror screams in two 7 rounders, where the heroics of Lundqvist played a significant role in the outcome of both series, as usual when they're getting anywhere. This is not a surprise for most, to such an extent that it has transformed into an infinite demand. And if his play is not world class to infinity, shot after shot, game after game, year after year, he's "overrated", held to a ridiculous standard that is absolutely impossible to uphold. A standard that no other player on this team has to uphold, not even for half of the games they play it seems, regardless of payment and expectations.

So when the injury ridden team with guys who were way past their stamina limit played some of the worst playoff hockey I've seen against an energized Devils team in the finals, somehow it was Lundqvist's fault that he couldn't stand on his head for eternity and save a team that with their overall performance had no business being where they were in the first place. A common mantra for the NYR. They were getting slaughtered all over the ice against a faster, stronger, more tactical and more efficient team.

How far do you think a team will go when the season plan, that is excruciatingly extended in the playoffs against actually good teams, for the last 7 years has been to pray that the guy in net saves way more than he should, while the team for the most part stay pinned in panic mode in their own zone, while they somehow, hopefully manage to score a goal off their ass, like the guy in the movie Goon? Why? Because every single NHL coach, regardless of who they are and how they want to tactically play in philosophy, quickly realize the only thing on this team standing between them and the abyss, is Lundqvist.

If you want to discuss why the Rangers don't have a Cup, how about the actual team and roster that is supposed to get them there and the ridiculous number of albatross contracts that looks like the parking lot outside the mall on a black friday? If one franchise player is a supposed guarantee for a Cup, why not pay Lundqvist $50m a year and put a dozen peewees in front of him? Oh, I forgot, his play is middling. Why didn't the Oilers pay Gretzky $10m and fire the rest of the team? Why didn't Hasek carry Buffalo to a Cup, when he was so awesome? Why did Hasek have to play for the Red Wings before he won his Cup, way past his prime? And yes, those questions were rhetorical.

Lundqvist has basically single handedly made the Rangers look way more respectable for the past 8 years than they should and made the playoffs for a ridiculous majority of seasons where they instead could've been battling for a top 5 pick. Without him, they would've been worse than the Islanders, every year. They would've been equal to teams like the Panthers. While some always think it's the best to blow up a crappy team and rebuild, Lundqvist should at least be acknowledged for this feat and not heckled for not being good enough to carry very mediocre teams to Cups, when not one single player on this planet, alive or dead, would've made enough of a difference to create this miracle. A miracle that is a supposed demand by some who are incapable of differing visions and dreams from the actual reality. In summary, it's not the fault of the chronical MVP on the team that the rest of the franchise is an annual joke.

Is $8.5m too much? Probably. But after watching this team sign Wade Redden @$6.5m while Ottawa fans were laughing (I wasn't laughing, I knew exactly what was coming), signing Scott Gomez @7m, Chris Drury @7m in times where the salary cup was much lower (I don't ever want to be reminded of this again), having Rick Nash @7.8m, Richards @7.5m... do I need to continue.

For once, give the only guy who has actually earned his paycheck and single handedly made the big six franchise look respectable and tough to win against, his money. Who are we kidding? This team isn't going to win a Cup for a long, long time anyway. At least you have one guy on the team that can make you dream it's a possibility. Don't see it as a dynasty team where their players all give salary discounts to go for another Cup. See it as the Blue Jackets version of New York, where your pay your star to keep being the face of the franchise and make the team look better, more entertaining and more flashy than they actually are.

If this franchise was actually competitive and was actually good, I think Lundqvist would've agreed to sign a discount to win Cups. But now? This team, this franchise? Who can blame him? Why should he take a discount? Take the money, have fun and possibly go to a Cup contender at the end of your career. I would've done the same thing, this isn't Chicago, it's the New York Rangers and the Rangers got the discount from Lundqvist that they deserved. None.

 

[Ola]

I just in principle don't really disagree with anyone in this thread, but any of those thoughts weren't even remotely going to lead to something today, in March 2014 or late June 2014 -- if you get what I mean. That is just too early.

Its nothing we could have done to change that.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

If Lundqvist's playoff performances are middling, on the same scale the NYR playoff performances are beyond pathetic. I've watched the team since the lockout and especially the playoff rounds have been - for the most part - a horror show. Even in the golden season where they ended up in 1st place in the conference, they were outplayed by both Ottawa(8th) and Washington(7th) respectively and barely managed to squeak by in terror screams in two 7 rounders, where the heroics of Lundqvist played a significant role in the outcome of both series, as usual when they're getting anywhere. This is not a surprise for most, to such an extent that it has transformed into an infinite demand. And if his play is not world class to infinity, shot after shot, game after game, year after year, he's "overrated", held to a ridiculous standard that is absolutely impossible to uphold. A standard that no other player on this team has to uphold, not even for half of the games they play it seems, regardless of payment and expectations.

So when the injury ridden team with guys who were way past their stamina limit played some of the worst playoff hockey I've seen against an energized Devils team in the finals, somehow it was Lundqvist's fault that he couldn't stand on his head for eternity and save a team that with their overall performance had no business being where they were in the first place. A common mantra for the NYR. They were getting slaughtered all over the ice against a faster, stronger, more tactical and more efficient team.

How far do you think a team will go when the season plan, that is excruciatingly extended in the playoffs against actually good teams, for the last 7 years has been to pray that the guy in net saves way more than he should, while the team for the most part stay pinned in panic mode in their own zone, while they somehow, hopefully manage to score a goal off their ass, like the guy in the movie Goon? Why? Because every single NHL coach, regardless of who they are and how they want to tactically play in philosophy, quickly realize the only thing on this team standing between them and the abyss, is Lundqvist.

If you want to discuss why the Rangers don't have a Cup, how about the actual team and roster that is supposed to get them there and the ridiculous number of albatross contracts that looks like the parking lot outside the mall on a black friday? If one franchise player is a supposed guarantee for a Cup, why not pay Lundqvist $50m a year and put a dozen peewees in front of him? Oh, I forgot, his play is middling. Why didn't the Oilers pay Gretzky $10m and fire the rest of the team? Why didn't Hasek carry Buffalo to a Cup, when he was so awesome? Why did Hasek have to play for the Red Wings before he won his Cup, way past his prime? And yes, those questions were rhetorical.

Lundqvist has basically single handedly made the Rangers look way more respectable for the past 8 years than they should and made the playoffs for a ridiculous majority of seasons where they instead could've been battling for a top 5 pick. Without him, they would've been worse than the Islanders, every year. They would've been equal to teams like the Panthers. While some always think it's the best to blow up a crappy team and rebuild, Lundqvist should at least be acknowledged for this feat and not heckled for not being good enough to carry very mediocre teams to Cups, when not one single player on this planet, alive or dead, would've made enough of a difference to create this miracle. A miracle that is a supposed demand by some who are incapable of differing visions and dreams from the actual reality. In summary, it's not the fault of the chronical MVP on the team that the rest of the franchise is an annual joke.

Is $8.5m too much? Probably. But after watching this team sign Wade Redden @$6.5m while Ottawa fans were laughing (I wasn't laughing, I knew exactly what was coming), signing Scott Gomez @7m, Chris Drury @7m in times where the salary cup was much lower (I don't ever want to be reminded of this again), having Rick Nash @7.8m, Richards @7.5m... do I need to continue.

For once, give the only guy who has actually earned his paycheck and single handedly made the big six franchise look respectable and tough to win against, his money. Who are we kidding? This team isn't going to win a Cup for a long, long time anyway. At least you have one guy on the team that can make you dream it's a possibility. Don't see it as a dynasty team where their players all give salary discounts to go for another Cup. See it as the Blue Jackets version of New York, where your pay your star to keep being the face of the franchise and make the team look better, more entertaining and more flashy than they actually are.

If this franchise was actually competitive and was actually good, I think Lundqvist would've agreed to sign a discount to win Cups. But now? This team, this franchise? Who can blame him? Why should he take a discount? Take the money, have fun and possibly go to a Cup contender at the end of your career. I would've done the same thing, this isn't Chicago, it's the New York Rangers and the Rangers got the discount from Lundqvist that they deserved. None.

He only posted 2 shutouts in a row with a series on the line he's a bum. Unfortunately some people just don't get the game and don't think in a way that could be considered common sense. You'll have to take solace in the fact that you at least know wtf is going on

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Article from late March that puts Lundqvist in the proper perspective: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=662735

Barry melrose looks like an utter jackass in this article.

 

[RangersHank*]

Barry melrose looks like an utter jackass in this article.

He didnt have Hank on his list? Is that a joke?

 

[Miamipuck]

Barry melrose looks like an utter jackass in this article.

Yeah yeah yeah, just in the article man.

 

[Unpredictable1]

If Lundqvist's playoff performances are middling, on the same scale the NYR playoff performances are beyond pathetic. I've watched the team since the lockout and especially the playoff rounds have been - for the most part - a horror show. Even in the golden season where they ended up in 1st place in the conference, they were outplayed by both Ottawa(8th) and Washington(7th) respectively and barely managed to squeak by in terror screams in two 7 rounders, where the heroics of Lundqvist played a significant role in the outcome of both series, as usual when they're getting anywhere. This is not a surprise for most, to such an extent that it has transformed into an infinite demand. And if his play is not world class to infinity, shot after shot, game after game, year after year, he's "overrated", held to a ridiculous standard that is absolutely impossible to uphold. A standard that no other player on this team has to uphold, not even for half of the games they play it seems, regardless of payment and expectations.

So when the injury ridden team with guys who were way past their stamina limit played some of the worst playoff hockey I've seen against an energized Devils team in the finals, somehow it was Lundqvist's fault that he couldn't stand on his head for eternity and save a team that with their overall performance had no business being where they were in the first place. A common mantra for the NYR. They were getting slaughtered all over the ice against a faster, stronger, more tactical and more efficient team.

How far do you think a team will go when the season plan, that is excruciatingly extended in the playoffs against actually good teams, for the last 7 years has been to pray that the guy in net saves way more than he should, while the team for the most part stay pinned in panic mode in their own zone, while they somehow, hopefully manage to score a goal off their ass, like the guy in the movie Goon? Why? Because every single NHL coach, regardless of who they are and how they want to tactically play in philosophy, quickly realize the only thing on this team standing between them and the abyss, is Lundqvist.

If you want to discuss why the Rangers don't have a Cup, how about the actual team and roster that is supposed to get them there and the ridiculous number of albatross contracts that looks like the parking lot outside the mall on a black friday? If one franchise player is a supposed guarantee for a Cup, why not pay Lundqvist $50m a year and put a dozen peewees in front of him? Oh, I forgot, his play is middling. Why didn't the Oilers pay Gretzky $10m and fire the rest of the team? Why didn't Hasek carry Buffalo to a Cup, when he was so awesome? Why did Hasek have to play for the Red Wings before he won his Cup, way past his prime? And yes, those questions were rhetorical.

Lundqvist has basically single handedly made the Rangers look way more respectable for the past 8 years than they should and made the playoffs for a ridiculous majority of seasons where they instead could've been battling for a top 5 pick. Without him, they would've been worse than the Islanders, every year. They would've been equal to teams like the Panthers. While some always think it's the best to blow up a crappy team and rebuild, Lundqvist should at least be acknowledged for this feat and not heckled for not being good enough to carry very mediocre teams to Cups, when not one single player on this planet, alive or dead, would've made enough of a difference to create this miracle. A miracle that is a supposed demand by some who are incapable of differing visions and dreams from the actual reality. In summary, it's not the fault of the chronical MVP on the team that the rest of the franchise is an annual joke.

Is $8.5m too much? Probably. But after watching this team sign Wade Redden @$6.5m while Ottawa fans were laughing (I wasn't laughing, I knew exactly what was coming), signing Scott Gomez @7m, Chris Drury @7m in times where the salary cup was much lower (I don't ever want to be reminded of this again), having Rick Nash @7.8m, Richards @7.5m... do I need to continue.

For once, give the only guy who has actually earned his paycheck and single handedly made the big six franchise look respectable and tough to win against, his money. Who are we kidding? This team isn't going to win a Cup for a long, long time anyway. At least you have one guy on the team that can make you dream it's a possibility. Don't see it as a dynasty team where their players all give salary discounts to go for another Cup. See it as the Blue Jackets version of New York, where your pay your star to keep being the face of the franchise and make the team look better, more entertaining and more flashy than they actually are.

If this franchise was actually competitive and was actually good, I think Lundqvist would've agreed to sign a discount to win Cups. But now? This team, this franchise? Who can blame him? Why should he take a discount? Take the money, have fun and possibly go to a Cup contender at the end of your career. I would've done the same thing, this isn't Chicago, it's the New York Rangers and the Rangers got the discount from Lundqvist that they deserved. None.

I truly cannot put it any better than this. Great post.

 

[Off Sides]

For once, give the only guy who has actually earned his paycheck and single handedly made the big six franchise look respectable and tough to win against, his money. Who are we kidding? This team isn't going to win a Cup for a long, long time anyway. At least you have one guy on the team that can make you dream it's a possibility. Don't see it as a dynasty team where their players all give salary discounts to go for another Cup. See it as the Blue Jackets version of New York, where your pay your star to keep being the face of the franchise and make the team look better, more entertaining and more flashy than they actually are.

I agree, not so much that I think just giving him the money was a good idea in terms of building a real contending team, but as far as how the Rangers are and have been crafted, it's a Broadway show... a business, winning a championship is secondary.

 

[Siamese Dream]

I think my avatar perfectly describes my reaction when I saw the salary

But still, I'd rather that than lose him

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

What a bargain for Dolan considering the checks he writes to Stoudamire.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

I think my avatar perfectly describes my reaction when I saw the salary

But still, I'd rather that than lose him

Your reaction was that of a perplexed slightly disgusted 16 year old girl? I remember that look every weekend in high school.

 

[Oak]

If Lundqvist's playoff performances are middling, on the same scale the NYR playoff performances are beyond pathetic. I've watched the team since the lockout and especially the playoff rounds have been - for the most part - a horror show. Even in the golden season where they ended up in 1st place in the conference, they were outplayed by both Ottawa(8th) and Washington(7th) respectively and barely managed to squeak by in terror screams in two 7 rounders, where the heroics of Lundqvist played a significant role in the outcome of both series, as usual when they're getting anywhere. This is not a surprise for most, to such an extent that it has transformed into an infinite demand. And if his play is not world class to infinity, shot after shot, game after game, year after year, he's "overrated", held to a ridiculous standard that is absolutely impossible to uphold. A standard that no other player on this team has to uphold, not even for half of the games they play it seems, regardless of payment and expectations.

<SNIP>

If this franchise was actually competitive and was actually good, I think Lundqvist would've agreed to sign a discount to win Cups. But now? This team, this franchise? Who can blame him? Why should he take a discount? Take the money, have fun and possibly go to a Cup contender at the end of your career. I would've done the same thing, this isn't Chicago, it's the New York Rangers and the Rangers got the discount from Lundqvist that they deserved. None.

Hank is that you? I didn't know you posted on hfboards?

Anyway I agree with most of what you posted. What can we do but shake our heads and keep blaming Sather. The guy just doesn't get it.

 

[Ilovemymum]

If this franchise was actually competitive and was actually good, I think Lundqvist would've agreed to sign a discount to win Cups. But now? This team, this franchise? Who can blame him? Why should he take a discount? Take the money, have fun and possibly go to a Cup contender at the end of your career. I would've done the same thing, this isn't Chicago, it's the New York Rangers and the Rangers got the discount from Lundqvist that they deserved. None.

This is the saddest post I have ever read. Is this what you think went through Hank's mind when he signed, and yet you are comfortable with the deal? I refuse to believe that. Why even get up in the morning. Hank is the king, and will probably rule for another eight years, but it's legit to ask what else could we do with the money. It's not like he's been playing for free so far, and he's been shown all possible respect for his play. But I'd gladly trade in most of the forwards on the two bottom lines for another Stepan or three, If Hank wins us 5-10? games a year on his own, lack of offensive dept might very well counterbalance this.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Haha. He doesn't have as many career wins as Lundqvist has seasons.

Let's look at this another way:

Henrik is probably universally regarded as the NYR best player. Show me an NHL team that didn't sign their UFA best player in recent memory or traded him away for draft picks. Ie... Crosby, Toews, Stamkos, Getzlaf, etc... And not someone who was "out of favor with the organization" or whatever.

He is not worth 15x the cap space as Talbot.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

He is not worth 15x the cap space as Talbot.

Talbot has played in 8 games. You have zero, zilch, nada, no clue what hes worth.

 

[Chimpradamus]

This is the saddest post I have ever read. Is this what you think went through Hank's mind when he signed, and yet you are comfortable with the deal? I refuse to believe that. Why even get up in the morning. Hank is the king, and will probably rule for another eight years, but it's legit to ask what else could we do with the money. It's not like he's been playing for free so far, and he's been shown all possible respect for his play. But I'd gladly trade in most of the forwards on the two bottom lines for another Stepan or three, If Hank wins us 5-10? games a year on his own, lack of offensive dept might very well counterbalance this.

The team is consistently mediocre and it has been proven the team is unable to become better by getting the UFAs who became UFAs for a reason. The really good players never become UFAs. Buying the most expensive toy in the second hand store is not a solution.

It really doesn't matter if Lundqvist is paid $5m or $8.5m, the team won't be a contender regardless. If the Rangers want to become more offensively competent, they have to sacrifice pieces they don't have or can't afford to lose. It's a neverending saga. It's really not an issue with salaries, it's an issue with player quality. Our core is so flawed it's ridiculous.

The contract was too large and too long. Around $7-7,5m @5y would've been enough. But the franchise had to pay what they deserved.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Talbot has played in 8 games. You have zero, zilch, nada, no clue what hes worth.

Give Lundqvist another million. I DO know that Lundqvist is NOT worth the $8.5MM he is going to be getting. Maybe I shoudl change my wording to, "He is not worth 15x the cap hit that Talbot is currently taking up." Does that make you happy?