Play is paused, but the clock is ticking for “King” Henrik

It’s been nearly two months since the NHL was paused by the COVID-19 pandemic and nobody knows when the league will resume play. However, this much is certain, time is running out for one New York Rangers great.

Henrik Lundqvist was picked by the New York Rangers in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Since then, the Swedish goalie has proved to be the best ever late-round pick, earned the nickname “King” Henrik, conquered just about every goaltending record in team history, and fell three games short of winning the Stanley Cup.

Twenty years. Time sure went by fast. And for Lundqvist, who in 2019-20 saw his reign end as the Rangers’ number one goalie, his tenure on Broadway might have expired.

Whenever the NHL is able to play the next season, probably in the late fall or even after the New Year, it’s possible the Rangers buy out his the final year of his contract and its $8.5 million cap hit — unless he agrees to a trade and the team finds a taker.

A buyout would save the Rangers $3 million in cap space, which is at a premium since they’re already bloated with $6.1 million in dead space in 2020-21 (plus the $1.5 million for 2019-20), incurred when they bought out defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk over the summer.

It’s not practical for the team to keep Lundqvist and 24-year-old Alexandar Georgiev behind projected starter Igor Shesterkin, who’s also 24. And If the 2019-20 season is never resumed, who knows? Could it even be possible that “King” Henrik has already played his final game for the Rangers?

In the minds of some Rangers fans, the thought of trading, buying out, or benching Lundqvist is blasphemous — akin to a blue-seater saying something like: “Ya know, that Denis Potvin wasn’t really so bad … let’s stop chanting he sucks.”

These fans unequivocally refuse to cut the cord with the 38-year old Future Hall of Famer.

They point to his Vezina Trophy in 2012 and revision of nearly all of the team’s goaltending records.

They argue that with stronger and deeper teams in front of him, he’d have a Stanley Cup championship ring to go with his crown.

The former is absolutely true; the latter is probably accurate.

They claim that his mediocre (for him) season (10-12-3 record, 3.16 goals-against average and .905 save percentage) are not the product of age and high mileage, but the result of sabotage on the Rangers’ part by giving him “tougher” games after longer layoffs than his younger counterparts.

This is where I take issue.

Henrik Lundqvist #30 and former teammate Mats Zuccarello #36 of the New York Rangers

Friends ’till the end

Naturally, Lundqvist’s supporters include his good friend and former teammate Mats Zuccarello.

The Norwegian forward, traded by the Rangers at the deadline last season, recently ripped the team’s treatment of Lundqvist in a Norwegian newspaper, saying: “It’s disrespectful. He is getting older, yes, and they have another good keeper, but then they could let him play the games Shesterkin doesn’t play.”

Zuccarello added that he felt the Rangers had given Shesterkin and Georgiev “better” matches while Lundqvist was idle for weeks before being sent out to play against top teams. “It is absolutely chilling that he is treated that way. Did anyone ever think that this was going to happen Henrik Lundqvist? No.”

The only problem with those claims from No. 30’s supporters and his friend from Norway is they’re not accurate.

Lundqvist played 1,597 minutes this season, appearing in 30 games and starting 26 of them.

His longest layoff between starts was 27 days, from Februry 3 versus Dallas to March 1 at Philadelphia. He lost to the Stars at home, allowing four goals on 15 shots, and fell to the Flyers, whose 41 wins were just four better than the Rangers when the NHL paused play on March 12.

(Lundqvist played six minutes in relief on February 14 at Winnipeg.)

The second-longest break between starts was 21 days, from January 11 at St. Louis to February 1 against league doormat Detroit. At the pause, the Red Wings had the NHL’s fewest wins (17), fewest goals for (145), lowest point total (39), most losses (49) and most goals allowed (267).

His next longest layoff between starts was 13 days, from October 24 versus Buffalo (30-31-8) to November 6 when the Red Wings (again) served as his homecoming present. (The “King had mop up duty on Oct. 27 in Boston in between those starts.)

“The King” started on opening night at the Garden, October 3, and turned aside 43 of 47 Winnipeg shots in a pulsating 6-4 win.

The Rangers played only one game after that before Lundqvist’s next start, on October 12, when he stopped 23 of 26 shots in a 4-1 loss to Edmonton (37-25-9). At the pause, the Oilers had the top two points leaders, Leon Draisaitl (110) and Connor McDavid (97).

Finally, Lundqvist had two eight-day layoffs between starts in December (2-10 and 14-22). In his return on December. 10 from the first break he lost at Los Angeles (29-35-6), then beat Anaheim (29-33-9) at the Garden on December 22 with a loss to the Ducks in Southern California on Dec. 14 in-between.

As evidenced, the claims on behalf of Lundqvist are without merit. He has been richly rewarded for his accomplishments by the Rangers, and deservedly so. However, there’s nothing wrong with the team phasing out a veteran. It doesn’t tarnish Lundqvist’s legacy with the team, as some have suggested. His No. 30 will hang in the Garden’s rafters.

Besides, better goalies than Lundqvist have been treated far worse. Isn’t that right, Mario Tremblay and Patrick Roy?

What’s the rush?

As puzzling as those blaming Rangers’ brass for their “mistreatment” of “The King” is the population that demanded Georgiev to be traded after witnessing Shesterkin’s play leading up to the trade deadline last March.

(Insert laughing-out-loud Emoji here.)

Sorry, but a smart organization does not deal a fairly proven young asset simply because “three’s a crowd” and the trade “deadline is approaching”. And, frankly, no player the Blueshirts might have gotten in return for Georgiev last season would have made them better than St. Louis, Boston, Tampa Bay, Edmonton or Colorado, anyway.

Better the Rangers hang on to Georgiev and see what value he might have on the trade market whenever the league resumes such business.

If they do deal Georgiev, and if they plan on cultivating what they have for a serious Stanley Cup run in the near future, they need to acquire a proven asset (or two) to support the current group. If the right deal for Georgiev presents itself, the Rangers can always find a serviceable backup if they’re not confident Adam Huska or Tyler Wall are ready.

For the record …

Before the pause, Georgiev logged 1,892 minutes in 34 showings (32 starts) in which he posted a 3.04 GAA, .910 save percentage and 17-14-2 record.

Like Lundqvist, Georgiev had long layoffs between starts.

Georgiev started in Ottawa on Oct. 5 but his next start was Oct. 17 against the Devils who scored four times on 41 shots. Again, the schedule was the source of the layoff, as the Rangers played only once (the Edmonton game) between his starts.

He also went nine days between starts three times, and upon his return, twice faced the Islanders and the Canadiens in Montreal (never an easy match no matter either team’s record).

After the Montreal game, he started against the Flyers, St. Louis, Washington and Colorado. In case you haven’t checked the standings in a while, those teams are pretty good.

Finally, after starting on January 21 against the Islanders, he didn’t get into another game until February  3 (relief duty versus Dallas). His next start came on February 7 against the Sabres in Buffalo, a gap of 17 days. The layoff was due to the Rangers’ bye week (January 22-30) during the All-Star break.

Shesterkin went 10 days between starts and faced a strong Columbus team in the latter, stopping 31 of 33 shots in a loss. His next start came against Detroit 12 days later. Shesterkin then beat Toronto at home and won on the road at Winnipeg, Chicago and Carolina.