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New York Rangers: The Mount Rushmore of the Lundqvist era

By Nicholas Zararis

WINNIPEG, MB - FEBRUARY 12: Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers plays the puck along the boards during first period action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on February 12, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Rangers 4-3. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - FEBRUARY 12: Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers plays the puck along the boards during first period action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on February 12, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Rangers 4-3. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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WINNIPEG, MB – FEBRUARY 12: Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers plays the puck along the boards during first period action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on February 12, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Rangers 4-3. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB – FEBRUARY 12: Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers plays the puck along the boards during first period action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on February 12, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Rangers 4-3. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images) /

After President’s day, it’s time to rank the four most important and influential New York Rangers of the Henrik Lundqvist era at Madison Square Garden.

Before you tell me that Mt. Rushmore is not as big as it looks in pictures, this is our hypothetical New York Rangers monument for the best stretch of hockey in franchise history. Although this collection of talent did not produce a Stanley Cup championship, the team managing to qualify for the postseason ten straight years in the salary cap era should be commended.

It goes without saying that Henrik Lundqvist is the defining player of the 2004 post-lockout Rangers. With the Swede in net, New York was a perennial contender just because he was in between the pipes on the eighth avenue side twice per game at Madison Square Garden. Coming out of the clutch and grab era, a goaltender was supremely valuable.

During the course of Lundqvist’s career, the Rangers took many different forms. In his rookie season, a unique collection of veteran talent produced a surprisingly good result and revived the career of future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr. However, the overpaying for veteran talent strategy eventually became too expensive and forced then general manager Glen Sather to re-evaluate.

Between 2008 and 2011 the Rangers went about roster construction the right way, acquiring young talent that was cost controlled through the entry draft. It was with that core of young talent that New York went on a series of deep postseason runs and made the team a perennial contender.

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