Blue Line Station
Fansided

Should “The King” rule in Game One?

By Scott Esposito

SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 25: Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers celebrates winning the Ticketmaster NHL Save Streak during the 2019 SAP NHL All-Star Skills at SAP Center on January 25, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 25: Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers celebrates winning the Ticketmaster NHL Save Streak during the 2019 SAP NHL All-Star Skills at SAP Center on January 25, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Igor Shesterkin (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Igor Shesterkin (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Not etched in ice

If the Rangers do what’s sensible (and right) by starting Lundqvist in at least the opening game, they can always switch to one of the kids should Lundqvist play poorly or get injured.

The Rangers don’t owe Lundqvist anything, mind you.  He’s been well compensated and will someday see his No. 30 retired to the rafters of Madison Square Garden.

One can even credibly argue he’s been overpaid the past few seasons after signing a contract in December 2013 that committed the Rangers to an annual $8.5 million cap hit starting in 2014-15 and running through 2020-21.

But in the postseason, experience counts.

Yes, Patrick Roy and Matt Murray (among others) won the Stanley Cup as rookie starters without much previous NHL experience.

Roy appeared in 48 games before leading Montreal to (another) championship in 1986. Murray had all of 13 matches prior to guiding Pittsburgh to the title 30 years later.

However, Roy and Murray played for loaded teams, each blessed with high-end youth and veteran leadership that provided tremendous depth.

Besides Roy himself, that Canadiens team had four other players whose careers were punctuated by induction into the Hockey Hall Fame, including defensemen Chris Chelios and Larry Robinson.

Murray’s Penguins featured future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, plus an arsenal of Kris Letang, Phil Kessel, and Chris Kunitz and a handful of grinders.

And let’s not kid ourselves – for every Patrick Roy and Matt Murray there’s a Felix Potvin and John Vanbiesbrouck.

As you know, “Beezer” won the Vezina Trophy in 1986 before he and the Rangers were defeated by Roy’s Habs in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals.

“Felix the Cat” nearly led the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Finals in 1993 but lost the Western Conference to Wayne Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings.

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