New York Rangers: What to expect from Henrik Lundqvist going forward
New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is 35 years old and the expectations for him need to change.
Henrik Lundqvist was the best player over the last 12 years for the New York Rangers’ franchise. Ever since Lundqvist took the starting job from Kevin Weekes in 2006, he hasn’t looked back. As one of the best goaltenders of this generation, the Rangers have expected a lot from him. But at age 35 he cannot continue to steal games on a nightly basis anymore.
The veteran goaltender had his worst season as a pro last year, it snowballed out of control at one point and got him benched. However, he was still able to round into form during the postseason and arguably was the difference in the first round against the Canadiens. He was unable to cover for the porous defense in its entirety against the Senators and it resulted in an exit after six games.
Through his first 15 starts this season, Lundqvist played well below his career averages. His .905 save percentage and 2.92 goals against average in contests prior to last Wednesday night’s meeting with the Blackhawks has been discouraging. With a bad defense, Lundqvist cannot be allowing low-danger goals if the team is to succeed.
The Contemporaries
Other great goaltenders have been able to be successful at age 35 or older. Comparing goaltenders is difficult because the team around the player can mask deficiencies in their game. Plus, depending on the goalies you are comparing, they could be from completely different eras.
At age 35 Patrick Roy won the Conn Smythe trophy on the 2001 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche had one of the strongest teams in recent NHL history featuring both Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg in their primes. Roy had a .913 save percentage and 2.21 goals against average during his age 35 season.
Lundqvist’s closest historical comparison is Dominik Hasek. Neither Lundqvist or Hasek ever played for outstanding teams but stole games for their franchises. During his time with the Buffalo Sabres, Hasek won six Vezina trophies and three Hart Memorial trophies. His last Vezina came at age 36 and he won a Stanley Cup at age 43, so Hasek is the model for Lundqvist to follow.
Martin Brodeur played against both Mike Richter and against Henrik Lundqvist during his 23 years as a pro. Lundqvist had more of the success in their head to head matchups winning two-thirds of games both started. Brodeur is an outlier in terms of longevity at the NHL level but was still a valuable contributor past the age of 35.
The Team
The Rangers do not currently have the talent of the teams the Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers listed above had. With an inconsistent defense in front of him, Lundqvist feels the need to be perfect every single night. Pressing so hard is making Lundqvist give up soft goals, the first goal the Blackhawks scored Wednesday night was terrible.
The Rangers are also riding Lundqvist hard. He started 15 of the teams’ first 18 games this season. So many starts this early in the season could lead to a disastrous end to the season. Expecting Lundqvist, at age 35, to start 60 games this season and then be physically prepared for the postseason is unrealistic. The Rangers have to get Ondrej Pavelec in more often and give Lundqvist rest.
To give Lundqvist a chance the Rangers must adjust schematically. The teams give up too many odd-man rushes or obstruct his view and hang him out to dry. Defensemen need to be more selective when pinching up in the offensive zone and bodies need to stay out of the way in the defensive zone.
Next: Rangers need to ease Lundqvist's workload
Lundqvist proved that can still be a good goaltender in the NHL at 35 during the Rangers six-game winning streak. If Lundqvist can get around a .915 save percentage and lower his goals against average to the low twos the Rangers should be able to score enough to win most games. It’s not like the Rangers have much of a choice, with his contract, Lundqvist will be the Rangers starter for years to come.