New York Rangers 2016-2017 Report Cards: Henrik Lundqvist
The New York Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist had a season of ups and downs at many points. Although he didn’t get the result he wanted, it doesn’t mean the entire season should be seen as a failure. Especially for him, this past season featured some highlight moments that he’ll never forget.
Each season that Lundqvist has been with the New York Rangers, he has carried the different faces that have made up the red, white, and blue jerseys. No doubt, he is happy where he is and is determined to win a Stanley Cup.
Related Story: New York Rangers: Five potential replacements for Tanner Glass
However, as the seasons have progressed, some have begun to criticize his performance. There are nights when he’s too slow or seems “uncomfortable” or simply “not himself.” As athletes, it is bound to happen that there will be some of those nights.
What’s forgotten is that the amount of milestones he’s reached are impressive for a player without a Cup to this point. For example, this season he became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to win 400 games on February 12th, 2017.
Lundqvist is also a big reason why the Rangers have gotten at least 100 points in each of their last few seasons. There are nights where he’s forced to stand on his head. A large portion of the time, though, he is more than able to get the job done.
Especially with the defense the Rangers have, it is remarkable that Lundqvist is capable of posting such good numbers. The team relies on him a lot, so it makes sense that he won’t always be consistent.
Related Story: New York Rangers: Replacing Antti Raanta, Part I: Options From Within
Playoff Performance:
In the 2017 Playoffs, Lundqvist posted his tenth career shutout against the Canadiens in Game One of the first round. As of now, he is tied for first in the league in playoff shutouts.
Of course, a lot happened since the 2017 Playoffs’ opener. In Game Six at the Garden, Lundqvist let in only one goal in the first period and shut down the Canadiens the rest of the night. This was on the road to the Rangers’ series-winner to help them move on to the second round.
The second round was a tough time for almost every player. Lundqvist struggled from the start when he let in a goal that had a less than 1% chance of going in in Game One.
As the series progressed to Game Six at home, two of the three goals that he let in arguable could have been stopped. Again, though, the defense didn’t help at all. That loss wasn’t his fault, but he could have played better.
Next: New York Rangers: Comparing the Expansion bubble candidates
Overall, Lundqvist had a great season. There were points that he could have upped his game. However, he did his best with a defense that was sub-par to say the least. For his effort and benchmarks despite his sometimes shaky performance, he receives the following grade.