The Rangers need to buy out Henrik Lundqvist

It’s a business decision

NHL hockey is a business.  While we all love the history and tradition of the New York Rangers, we also want them to win.  The team needs to become a playoff contender for purely financial reasons.  Playoff revenue is a significant cash cow for any NHL team and sentimentality has no place when it comes to increasing the profit.

The Rangers have made a significant investment in Artemi Panarin and Jacob Trouba as they seek to get back into the playoffs.  While the team is better this year, it is probably not a playoff year.  They need to continue to improve and in the NHL that takes money.

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On a purely financial basis, a buyout makes sense.  On an emotional basis, it would be gutwrenching.  However, the next time you are at Madison Square Garden, look at those retired numbers hanging in the rafters.  All of the players so honored, except Rod Gilbert and Mike Richter, were discarded.

As much as it hurt, replacing an aging Ed Giacomin with a young John Davidson was the right decision and led to a trip to the Finals in 1979.   Harry Howell was sold to the Seals after 17 years as a Ranger.  Andy Bathgate was traded to Toronto.  Vic Hadfield was traded to Pittsburgh.  We forget that Adam Graves was unceremoniously dealt  to San Jose after 10 years in New York.

A much better scenario would be for Lundqvist to waive his no movement clause and allow the team to try to move him to a contender ins a salary retained transaction.  It would give him a chance to win a Cup and help the team’s cap situation.  Even if they agreed to retain half of his salary, it would save the team money the next two seasons as opposed to a buyout.

Consider this.  If he knew that a buyout was being considered, perhaps he would agree to a trade to a contender, a trade he would have the right to refuse.

If Henrik Lundqvist finishes his career elsewhere he will still get his day of tribute in New York and it won’t diminish the his achievements as the greatest goaltender in team history.  There’s no doubt that Marc-Andre Fleury was hurt when the Penguins let him go in favor of Matt Murray, but how has it worked out for him?

Lundqvist was offered the chance to go to another team when the rebuild was announced.  He rejected that option and now the team has no choice, but to make that happen through a buyout, for the benefit of the New York Rangers. It’s not a decision the team should take lightly, but it’s a decision that needs to be made.

This is a controversial topic and there will be a wide variety of opinions.  Feel free to weigh in.