Fiction: Henrik Lundqvist will have a lighter workload
There are few players with a competitive spirit that could match Henrik Lundqvist’s. The veteran goaltender does not know the meaning of the phrase “take it easy.” In spite of the Ranger’s inability to do anything resembling play the sport of hockey down the stretch last season, Lundqvist gave a herculean effort on a nightly basis. That is why the notion of a lighter workload seems like a far fetched idea.
The Rangers gave Lundqvist a way out at the deadline this past season, offering him the chance to play for a contender. The Swede said he wanted to stay put and that playing for one team for the entirety of his career meant something to him. There is simply too much pride in the best player to ever put on the Ranger sweater to quit on the organization just because it is rebuilding.
I can’t see a scenario in which the Rangers can convince Lundqvist that he should only play 40 or so games this season. There is simply too much fire within the goaltender to simply be a passenger on this journey. A guy like Lundqvist can play an important role on a rebuilding team as a sage veteran that can provide guidance to younger players.
The other factor to consider is that the Rangers do not currently have an established NHL backup on the roster. They have Marek Mazanek, Dustin Tokarski and Alexandar Georgiev, who have a grand total of 56 NHL starts combined. It is unclear who the leader in the clubhouse is, but the expectation is that the 21 year old Georgiev will serve as Lundqvist’s backup. There is no way in which a 22 year old with nine career starts is going to supplant Lundqvist barring injury.