A simple, yet memorable off-season for the Rangers

Jesper Fast

The five-time recipient of the Players’ Player Award, Jesper Fast, left the New York Rangers after seven seasons to join the Carolina Hurricanes…

With funds being what they are, fans thought Jesper Fast might be the odd man out this off-season. However, when the amount for which he walked was revealed, fans were left scratching their heads. $2 million a year for 3 years? Fans expected he would sign elsewhere for more than that.

$3 million is too steep a price, but $2 million? You have to wonder if there was any negotiation between the front office and Jesper Fast. Did the New York Rangers at least try to bring him back on a team-friendly deal? Did they at least try to get him for $1.75 million for 2 years?

Yes, the New York Rangers are logjammed at the wing. Yes, they are already in the hole in terms of Performance Bonus Penalties. Yes, they had other players to re-sign, but Jesper Fast is a player who’s done a little bit of everything for this franchise. It would have been money well spent, especially when Jeff Gorton spent $1.15 million on…

Jack Johnson

My heart goes out to Jack Johnson. Johnson has dealt with far more heartache than the average player in the NHL. No person should have to deal with parents like his…

With that aside, why is he here? With so many budding defensemen looking to leap into a pertinent, permanent role, why are we taking on yet another veteran defenseman past his prime? To add to the point, Johnson is now the oldest defenseman, by almost two years,  on the roster at 33-years-old. $1.15 million is a decent price for Johnson, sure, but Libor Hájek, Yegor Rykov, K’Andre Miller, Nils Lundkvist, Brandon Schneider, among others will be fighting for a slot in a defensive core that already boasts Jacob Trouba, Tony DeAngelo, Ryan Lindgren, Adam Fox, and the deserved scapegoat that is Brendan Smith.

Jack Johnson is a left defenseman, sure. Trouba, Fox, and DeAngelo all play on the right side, but Hájek, Rykov, and Miller naturally play on the left side and Nils Lundkvist has said he is willing to play left as well. Jack Johnson just throws a cog into the defensive wheel.

Johnson was brought in alongside Colin Blackwell (center, 27) Keith Kinkaid (goalie, 31), Anthony Bitetto (left defenseman, 30), and Kevin Rooney (right-wing/center, 27). All four of whom will offer depth to the franchise and should be competing for a roster spot, but none are expected to make a major impact.

Jack Johnson is far and away the most recognizable free agent acquired this off-season. However, comparatively, he’s one of the weakest free agents the New York Rangers have signed in years.

Henrik Lundqvist

It’s the move that everyone knew needed to happen, but it’s simultaneously the move no one wanted to happen. The New York Rangers were left little to no choice but to buy out Henrik Lundqvist, the winningest goaltender in franchise history. Holding onto Hank’s $8.5 million contract would have handcuffed Jeff Gorton; preventing him from bringing back DeAngelo, Strome, and Lemieux.

The move also secured Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev as the official goaltending tandem. The three-headed elephant in the room has officially left the Garden.

Despite the necessity of the buyout, the departure is still just as gut-wrenching. It’s an emotional blow that’s made even more heartbreaking due to King Henrik opting to sign with the divisional rival, the Washington Capitals.

It feels a lot like when you break up with your high school girlfriend… you didn’t want to date her, but your 16-year-old heart can’t stomach seeing her date anyone else either…

Personally, my 29-year-old heart can’t fathom the sight of Henrik Lundqvist wearing these new jaw-dropping pads:

Seeing that Crown Collection 35, not 30, just feels so wrong. Intellectually, it is the most sensible move for the New York Rangers. Emotionally, it’s hard to grasp.

This is where the Rangers, yet again, make headlines. Normally, it’s for the arrival of a big name player, but now, it’s the opposite. It’s the departure of an icon.

Regardless of the outcome and reasoning, 2020 will forever be the year labeled as the Lafrenière/Lundqvist off-season – The King handing off his kingdom to a potential Prince.

Long live the King…