Blue Line Station
Fansided

The New York Rangers say goodbye to the King

By Jason Katinas

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 01: Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers prepares to start in the nets against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game One of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 1, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 01: Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers prepares to start in the nets against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game One of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 1, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images) /
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Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers makes “the save”. Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final in the 2014. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers makes “the save”. Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final in the 2014. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

The New York Rangers have bought out Henrik Lundqvist

Its a sad day in Rangerstown. the New York Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist are parting ways, via a buyout today. Athletes hold a special place in our hearts. They keep us young, even as they themselves age. They remind us of a time when we would play too.

Sadly, sports are a young persons profession and every athlete must one day walk away from the game they love. Today may not be a retirement, but it feels like it. Anyone who has been around long enough to have watched, played and in anyway loved a sport, a team, or a player will have felt this before. I have, and it still hurts.

In 1995 the New York Yankees finally returned to the post season. It had been more than a decade, and taken the entirety of Don Mattngly’s career to get there. He would have a great series, a return to his late 80’s form. He would go 10 for 24 (.417) with a walk, a home run and six RBI’s over his one an only playoff appearance. Then he walked away.

I had watched, followed and loved Mattingly since 1983. I saw him win nine Gold Gloves, a batting title, and an AL MVP. I watched as a back injury took away his swing and how a once dominant player can fall a notch or two to be simply good. I watched as he and the Yankees became synonymous. And I watched as the Yankees would win four World Series championships after he departed.

At one game, in the early 90’s, I had seats behind the Yankees dugout. At the end of the mid-inning toss around, as Mattingly was about to throw the ball into the dugout, I called out and raised my glove. He hesitated, looked right at me, and bounced the ball off the on deck circle. I reached, but the ball fell just short of the dugout roof and he shrugged. I was disappointed until I realized, he heard me, he tried. For that brief moment, fan and hero connected.

Mattingly was my hero and when he left, I could never look at baseball the same way again.

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