The New York Rangers lost in a shootout for the second time this season when the Anaheim Ducks scored twice in four opportunities on Henrik Lundqvist. How has Lundqvist been faring in shootouts?
Henrik Lundqvist stopped two of four shots in the New York Rangers shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks. That’s the second time he has allowed two goals in shootouts this season, losing both times. Is his shootout performance proof that his skills are declining?
It was a milestone that didn’t get much notice. When Henrik Lundqvist stopped Rickard Rackell in the first round of the shootout, it was the 403rd shootout attempt in his career, breaking a tie with Roberto Luongo. Lundqvist has now faced more shots in shootouts than any other NHL goaltender. He already held the record for most lifetime saves in the shootout and he added to his total of 291 with the Rakell stop.
He is also the all-time leader in shootout wins with 61. This was his 50th shootout loss, second to Luongo’s 58.
Henrik Lundqvist has now faced 406 shots in the shootout and has stopped 293 of them for a save percentage of .722. That ranks 22nd all-time among goalies who have faced at least 50 shots. There have been 50 NHL goalies who have faced 200 shots in their careers and Lundqvist ranks 7th best among them.
So, Henrik Lundqvist continues to add to his place in the record books, but the question is how has he been doing now that he is getting older.
Early career
Henrik Lundqvist was at the top of his game from his rookie season in 2005-06 through the 2015-16 season. In those 11 years, his goals against average was never higher than 2.48 and his save percentage was consistently around .920.
The last four years has seen his GAA rise from 2.74 to this season’s 3.13 and his save percentage hit a career low of .907 last season. This year it is at .912.
In those first 11 years, Lundqvist’s won-lost record in shootouts was 53-38. His shootout save percentage peaked at 85% in 2010-11 and was never lower than 65%. His best season was in 2010-11 when he went 7-3 in shootouts and stopped 39 of 46 shots. That year was one of the greatest shootout performances by any goalie in NHL history.
From 2007 to 2016 he stopped almost three of every four shootout shots he faced with a save percentage of .735.
Recent numbers
Since 2015-16, Lundqvist’s play in the shootout has declined. In the last three seasons and this year, he has won eight shootouts and has lost 12. In those 20 shootouts, Lundqvist has faced 64 shots and he has stopped 37 of them, a save percentage of .578
While those numbers don’t compare to his usual high standards, how do they compare to other goaltenders? Here is where he ranks in save percentage among goalies who faced as many shots as he did compared to some of his previous seasons.
2019-20: 3-7 .428 ( 18th of 19 who have faced at least seven shots)
2018-19: 12-18 .667 (5th of 9 who faced 18 shots)
2017-18: 12-21 .571 (10th of 11 who faced 20 shots)
2016-17: 10-18 .556 (12th of 15 who faced 18 shots)
2015-16: 10-14 .714 (8th of 23 who faced 14 shots)
2014-15: 11-17 .647 ( 24th of 34 who faced 17 shots)
2013-14: 15-23 .652 (19th of 29 who faced 20 shots)
2010-11: 39-46 .848 (1st who faced 20 shots)
2009-10: 15-22 .682 ( 19th of 29 who faced 20 shots)
2008-09: 30-40 .750 (7th of 22 who faced 20 shots)
What does it mean?
If you want controversy, just bring up Henrik Lundqvist. He is showing his age but how much has his game deteriorated? For every fabulous save he makes, his detractors point to a soft goal. Just look at the social media posts after the Anaheim game. The one guarantee is that there is going to be no consensus when it comes to the King.
That’s one area where the shootout is pretty definitive. It’s a skills competition, skater against goaltender. You cannot blame the results on a poor defense or superior competition. It’s the best three shooters (or more) from the opposition trying to score on your goaltender.
From the numbers, Lundqvist is headed for a poor shootout record this season. That ‘s not to say he won’t rebound and stop the next ten shots he faces, but so far his numbers are definitely down from his best seasons.
Does that mean his skills are deteriorating and he is past his prime? You hate to say yes, but it will be worth monitoring his performance in shootouts to see how he does.
And before everyone goes crazy talking about the heir apparent, Alexandar Georgiev has a 3-2 career record in shootouts and has stopped 13 of 20 attempts for a shooting percentage of 65%. They all came last season and are comparable to Lundqvist’s statistics for the same season.