Confirmed Signing with Link: [WSH] Henrik Lundqvist signs with the Capitals (1 year, $1.5M)

[SML2]

How has Lundqvist been coming in cold every 3-4 games the past few seasons? That would be my biggest concern with a compressed schedule.

That didn't really happen for him. He's never been on the bench for more than the second game of back to back really. Once Shestorkin emerged, Hank wasn't even really the backup.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Del Preston]

He capitalized "WIN". He's going to Winnipeg. e5

 

[Random schmoe]

I agree with most of what you’re saying but I don’t think the Capitals really require someone to “perform” at the highest level, they need someone that can be a good mentor and teach a Young Gun how to be a Pro. They need someone to be a Life Coach and a guy who can teach a Young Goalie how to navigate the Highs and Lows of the Goalie Mental Game. There aren’t many better options out there for that specifically.

... How in the heck does anyone really know if he's good at that? Not like the Rangers would've publicly said anything aside from 'Hanks been great!'. He may have zero interest in fulfilling that role.

 

[Ducks in a row]

Will be weird AF seeing him in anything but a NYR sweater.

I wish he would retire rather then play for another NHL team.

 

[StephenPeat]

... How in the heck does anyone really know if he's good at that? Not like the Rangers would've publicly said anything aside from 'Hanks been great!'. He may have zero interest in fulfilling that role.

You’re not wrong.

My guess; there aren’t many teams lining up to sign him to carry a heavy load so his choices will likely be limited. He may have to eat the Humble Pie and Like It.

 

[PB12]

 

[hockeykicker]

Will still feel weird that the king is in a caps jersey

Like kolzig was in a tampa jersey

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Emotional attachments aside, I don’t think he’s a particularly good goalie now but still has the ability to reach back and steal a game. I would doubt the contender credentials of any team that starts him for 50 games. When he returns to the Garden, it will be a Giacomin moment and then he either shuts us out or gets lit up for 6 goals. Pencil Mika in for a hat trick.

 

[Phil McKraken]

I can kind of see the point from Washington's perspective, but I don't know what's in it for Lundqvist. He's no longer good enough to win the cup as a starter, so in the best case scenario he starts 30 regular season games and then gets a ring as a bench warmer behind Samsonov. Whoop dee doo.

 

[GoldiFox]

No team is going to sign Lundqvist to have a bigger role than a 1b at best. I don't see why being behind a young starter goes against that

Conceivably Lundqvist could win the 1A role on the Hurricanes. Assuming they don't make a move for a different goalie.

 

[Burnie97]

I can kind of see the point from Washington's perspective, but I don't know what's in it for Lundqvist. He's no longer good enough to win the cup as a starter, so in the best case scenario he starts 30 regular season games and then gets a ring as a bench warmer behind Samsonov. Whoop dee doo.

Im pretty sure if they sign him cheap and he even gives them 20 good games, and they won a cup... everyone involved would be ecstatic.

I think he's okay playing less if he gets a shot at the cup.

Otherwise he'd be hanging them up.

 

[slg1963]

But yet he would not accept a trade from the Rangers long before he got bought out?????

 

[Nickmo82]

But yet he would not accept a trade from the Rangers long before he got bought out?????

He had an $8.5m anchor that probably made that difficult. Unless you know what trades were discussed and all the details behind it, then you can't really comment on that.

 

[TGWL]

But yet he would not accept a trade from the Rangers long before he got bought out?????

1)For Lundqvist to accept a trade, a team would need a lot more cap hit.
2)NYR would probably need to attach an asset along with retaining half.
3)Lundqvist most likely wants to pick his own destination.
4) NYR needed to make something happen before free agency started. Waiting on a Lundqvist trade would put them behind in signing their RFAs. Qualifying offers needed to be made.

 

[slg1963]

1)For Lundqvist to accept a trade, a team would need a lot more cap hit.
2)NYR would probably need to attach an asset along with retaining half.
3)Lundqvist most likely wants to pick his own destination.
4) NYR needed to make something happen before free agency started. Waiting on a Lundqvist trade would put them behind in signing their RFAs. Qualifying offers needed to be made.

We could have retained 50% salary and attached an asset, nobody thought we could have traded Staal.

 

[TGWL]

We could have retained 50% salary and attached an asset, nobody thought we could have traded Staal.

Why would we do that? We gave up a 2nd already in the Staal trade. How many more assets do you want to give up, just to save 1.5 more on this year's cap?

 

[5 Minute Major]

He's a below average goalie now.

 

[slg1963]

Why would we do that? We gave up a 2nd already in the Staal trade. How many more assets do you want to give up, just to save 1.5 more on this year's cap?

And next years cap penalty

 

[seanlinden]

Don't think this is a good fit. I think the Caps want Samsonov to be their starter,

I think Lundqvist on the Blackhawks would be the best fit for him.

Long term, yes they do.

But he's coming off a nasty injury while ATVing, has only 26 games NHL experience, and is going into a season that's likely to be compressed / irregular.

The Caps need somebody who they can reasonably rely on to be a front-half-of-a-tandem. Is that Hank? Hank, Fleury, Andersen are all reasonable targets for that.

As for what Hank does, he'll want to chase a cup I'm sure -- I'm not so sure he's prepared to go to Colorado to do it, so Washington would be an ideal fit.

 

[DesertPenguin]

If the Caps are looking for a mature, reliable mentor who can play 20-30 games and be a great teammate, Lundqvist seems like a good option. But depending on cost, Fleury might be an even better option. It’s a good market for this right now. Lots of quality goalies floating around the market.

The mere thought of Fleury in a Caps jersey turns my stomach. It might be logical but man, so much history there. It would be like when Talbot went to the Flyers.

What does Hank want in a contract/what will the market provide? Given how young Jarry is, if Hank is willing to settle into the backup role and be a player-coach to Jarry, I'd really value his experience. We can probably only afford a ~2m contract though.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I thought Hank would retire a Ranger, but, if he's gonna keep playing, it's hard to think of a better fit for both sides than Washington. Lundqvist will get to chase a cup and should still see a solid number of starts platooning Samsanov, and Samsanov will get a great mentor to learn from.

 

[Archgoat]

This is just a hunch, but I have a feeling that if the Stars don't get something done with Khudobin, Lundqvist ends up in Dallas.

 

[Charlie Conway]

But yet he would not accept a trade from the Rangers long before he got bought out?????

Why would he? He loved playing in New York. Hockey-aside, he had different business things going on in the city, too. At least now he can control his destination.

A lot of users here complain players are being selfish, and there definitely is a certain acceptance of being on the move that comes with being a professional athlete, but the team signed him to a NMC and he had every right to exercise that clause.

At his cap hit, we either would've had to retain a significant amount or ship out an asset with him.

This works out for everyone. The Rangers hold onto cap in a year they have it to spare and Lundqvist gets to finish out his career on his terms.

 

[StephenPeat]

I can kind of see the point from Washington's perspective, but I don't know what's in it for Lundqvist. He's no longer good enough to win the cup as a starter, so in the best case scenario he starts 30 regular season games and then gets a ring as a bench warmer behind Samsonov. Whoop dee doo.

Can you plot any other course to a Cup that runs through Lundqvist? I doubt you can. There’s the point for Lundqvist.