Player Discussion Henrik Lundqvist: Part II

[SnowblindNYR]

It's amazing to me that it seems that some people here are more Lundqvist fans than Rangers fans.

 

[Rangers394]

I know I have the rep as a Hank hater but it's upsetting that we have the most talent this organization has seen since at least 1994 and Hank won't be a part of that.

It's not that upsetting. We made a cup run with him, a million playoff wins, some good seasons. Just couldn't get it done, hopefully the next group can.

 

[nevesis]

I love Hank but I’m not trading AG just so Hank can have a proper send off. If somebody offers us a great deal I would consider it but it doesn’t sound like the Rangers are that interested in trading him just to keep Hank here

The difference is, Georgiev will not be a career backup here, he will be a starter. With Shesterkin the now bonafide starter here, and backups being a dime a dozen (especially with Wall being here shortly) if you can get a good piece (roster or draft) for Georgiev, I make that move.

I love the kid, but he deserves to be a starter somewhere during his career.

 

[haohmaru]

I love Hank but I’m not trading AG just so Hank can have a proper send off. If somebody offers us a great deal I would consider it but it doesn’t sound like the Rangers are that interested in trading him just to keep Hank here

It sounds like other teams aren't all that interested either.

 

[Doctyl]

It's amazing to me that it seems that some people here are more Lundqvist fans than Rangers fans.

I’m indifferent on this. I don’t think Georgiev is going to be here long term. I also don’t think we should spend Hank’s cap hit this season and don’t really see what it’s stopping us from doing right now.

 

[LOFIN]

The difference is, Georgiev will not be a career backup here, he will be a starter. With Shesterkin the now bonafide starter here, and backups being a dime a dozen (especially with Wall being here shortly) if you can get a good piece (roster or draft) for Georgiev, I make that move.

I love the kid, but he deserves to be a starter somewhere during his career.

I wonder how he himself views his position. If he wants to be a starter he is gone, that job is for Shestyorkin. However, if he is content with the backup job in New York, we really should keep him if he agrees to a decent contract.

I guess setling down for a backup job at that age isn't really a thing people who are competetive enough to make the NHL settle for...

 

[Mike in Houston]

It's tough for me.

1. I want the cap hit gone next season so we have some better flexibility.
2. I don't want to see Henrik in another NHL team's uniform.
3. I don't want the Rangers to buy him out. I don't want anymore buyouts including Staal and Smith. I'm willing to be patient with this rebuild.

I just hope he retires so we can get the cap hit off the books and we move on to the next era. He can have his night next season.

 

[NYRangers0723]

It's tough for me.

1. I want the cap hit gone next season so we have some better flexibility.
2. I don't want to see Henrik in another NHL team's uniform.
3. I don't want the Rangers to buy him out. I don't want anymore buyouts including Staal and Smith. I'm willing to be patient with this rebuild.

I just hope he retires so we can get the cap hit off the books and we move on to the next era. He can have his night next season.

I think retiring might be the best option. I know it’s easy for me to say because I’m not the one who would be giving up millions but knowing Hank I don’t think he wants to play for another nhl team besides the Rangers. I do think he would play back home albeit for far less money but he has made so much over the course of his great career. One thing is certain I don’t want to trade AG just to avoid having to buyout Hank

 

[Fataldogg]

I think retiring might be the best option. I know it’s easy for me to say because I’m not the one who would be giving up millions but knowing Hank I don’t think he wants to play for another nhl team besides the Rangers. I do think he would play back home albeit for far less money but he has made so much over the course of his great career. One thing is certain I don’t want to trade AG just to avoid having to buyout Hank

They're going to need to move Georgiev, problem is there isn't much of a market for him. And buying him out is not a sensible option either. [A] it looks bad to do to the best goaltender in your franchises history and will turn off a lot of fans and (B) there is still a $5.5M cap hit associated with his buy out next year.

You're talking about $12.9M in dead cap space, no owner is going to be happy about that, and it also limits your ability to ice a competitive team with that much money tied up in dead cap space [we already know the Cap is not going up]. Then factor things in, like Kreider getting a raise, and buying out Lundqvist would literally not save any money on the Cap. It just does not make sense to me.

The only real option you have if Lundqvist does not retire [which Im skeptic he will], is to trade Georgiev for an undesirable draft position.

Edit: I don't know why all of this is bold. Sorry.

 

[Fataldogg]

I know I have the rep as a Hank hater but it's upsetting that we have the most talent this organization has seen since at least 1994 and Hank won't be a part of that.

It also may amount to nothing. We will see. Look at the talent that Toronto has, and they cannot do anything with it.

I do think its a shame that he never had the chance to play with this level of offensive talent. If he had a roster like this in his prime, he would be a Cup winner. Guys like a declining Brad Richards, Dan Girardi, a playoff choker in Rick Nash, etc just were not enough to ice a Cup winner.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I love the guy, but the best thing for all parties involved is for Lundqvist to retire.

 

[Dijock94]

It's tough for me.

1. I want the cap hit gone next season so we have some better flexibility.
2. I don't want to see Henrik in another NHL team's uniform.
3. I don't want the Rangers to buy him out. I don't want anymore buyouts including Staal and Smith. I'm willing to be patient with this rebuild.

I just hope he retires so we can get the cap hit off the books and we move on to the next era. He can have his night next season.

All of this

 

[jfc64]

Trade both the Chesterfield and Georgia for some help on defense. Prolong Lundqvist for one more season.

 

[Leetch3]

Trade both the Chesterfield and Georgia for some help on defense. Prolong Lundqvist for one more season.

um trade who?

 

[Chimpradamus]

Maybe you should try to relax man, it's not that serious. At the end of the day, it's a business and everyone knows it, especially the players. They make enough money so they will be fine.

If our current players keep losing because of what happened with Leetch 15-16 years ago, then they don't deserve to be here to begin with. I think you're blowing this out of proportion just a bit.

Yes, sure, I'm being over the top in throwing accusations left and right. I apologize if anyone feels hit, that wasn't my intention. But you can be sure I'm royally pissed about this situation. I guess everyone got that. I also like to thank the NYR board for being so understandable. I'm barking around, well, you don't care, you've heard far worse. You're New Yorkers. On most forums I would probably have been given warnings for writing what I have. Not here. I don't like the culture of New York, but I respect New Yorkers. And will I stop following the team? Most probably not. It will always have a soft spot. There are several players that I like to follow and hence keep an interest in the team. But I won't be a homer.

 

[FinRanger]

It's amazing to me that it seems that some people here are more Lundqvist fans than Rangers fans.

How it is amazing to you. He has been the epitome of Rangers and for lots of people he has been here the whole time they have followed Rangers.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Rangers is Sam Rosen shouting "Save by Lundqvist!". Hard to imagine Rangers without Hank. It is not so black and white you make it seem to be.

 

[Rangers394]

Yes, sure, I'm being over the top in throwing accusations left and right. I apologize if anyone feels hit, that wasn't my intention. But you can be sure I'm royally pissed about this situation. I guess everyone got that. I also like to thank the NYR board for being so understandable. I'm barking around, well, you don't care, you've heard far worse. You're New Yorkers. On most forums I would probably have been given warnings for writing what I have. Not here. I don't like the culture of New York, but I respect New Yorkers. And will I stop following the team? Probably not. It will always have a soft spot. There are several players that I like to follow.

I would hope you don't stop following the team over something like this. I think the team will be fine, just sit back and relax. We don't run the team so there is no point getting that stressed out about it. Our lives move forward regardless if certain guys are on the team or not, that's just how it is and i doubt the players leaving or players that left are losing any sleep over it while they rest in their mansions and their vacations

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

From what JD said - they had a very "healthy", long conversation on the way back from the bubble. Whatever the two sides decide I think the Rangers will be in good shape regarding the goaltending situation next season. I also think a decision has already been made by both parties.

Personally I think Hank wants to continue to play, somewhere. He's a fierce competitor and I'd be surprised if he we have seen the last of him between the pipes. He may retire and go back to Sweden. Then come back to the NHL if he still feels he can compete for a team. He deserves to be paid so he will likely be bought out.

At the same time he fully deserves a proper send-off from the fans at the Garden and I think he will get that in spades over the years to come.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

How it is amazing to you. He has been the epitome of Rangers and for lots of people he has been here the whole time they have followed Rangers.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Rangers is Sam Rosen shouting "Save by Lundqvist!". Hard to imagine Rangers without Hank. It is not so black and white you make it seem to be.

If it helps the franchise for him to not to be on this team you should stop calling yourself a Rangers fan if you want to do Lundqvist a solid. And why isn't he doing this franchise a solid and letting them trade him?

 

[Adam Fox Time]

Buying out Henrik's contract honestly would not be that bad. Next season will be awful with $13m total of dead cap space, but in 2021-22 there is only $4m in dead space plus the $10m saved from Staal and Smith leaving.

If Henrik won't retire and no team will take him in a trade, buying him out is a better option than trading Georgiev. In fact Georgiev can be a trade piece, but he can have actual value instead of being part of a desperation trade.

 

[JimmyG89]

One thing with Hank is that he also has watched as the team has moved pretty much everyone he has played a long time with and how they were treated by management. Some good, some not so good. The one he was closest with (Zuccarello), left with a very sour taste in his mouth.

I think he wants his exit to be much better than this and it will. All the other players were not franchise leaders in wins, shutouts, playoff wins, etc.

People mention the pandemic potentially making him go to Sweden now with the flat cap, three goalies, etc. We don't know if he is selfish enough to want his closing night. To have a game in the Garden, with fans, that is his last. Be the one to decide to go, not the other way around. Very few get to decide on their own. Get the sendoff that he deserves from the fans.

Definitely get the retirement vibe, but I could 100% see Hank saying he wants to stick it out, will back up and get his MSG sendoff in front of friends, family, and the fans.

 

[jfc64]

Buying out Henrik's contract honestly would not be that bad. Next season will be awful with $13m total of dead cap space, but in 2021-22 there is only $4m in dead space plus the $10m saved from Staal and Smith leaving.

If Henrik won't retire and no team will take him in a trade, buying him out is a better option than trading Georgiev. In fact Georgiev can be a trade piece, but he can have actual value instead of being part of a desperation trade.

Problem as I see it is that in both 2021 and 2022 Rangers now actually have a chance at the cup. With both Kakko and Lafreniere and a few other cheap salaries you should try to do all you can not having dead cap. Instead spending it on defense. Having Lundqvist at 8.5 and maybe even at 3.0 (in 2021-22) avoids that. Maybe buying out Smith is all you should do.

So...the idea to tighten defense and go with Lundqvist should at least be one option.

Shesterkin and Georgiev and possibly Strome and DeAngelo can give real Stanley Cup material in return.

 

[Rangers394]

One thing with Hank is that he also has watched as the team has moved pretty much everyone he has played a long time with and how they were treated by management. Some good, some not so good. The one he was closest with (Zuccarello), left with a very sour taste in his mouth.

I think he wants his exit to be much better than this and it will. All the other players were not franchise leaders in wins, shutouts, playoff wins, etc.

People mention the pandemic potentially making him go to Sweden now with the flat cap, three goalies, etc. We don't know if he is selfish enough to want his closing night. To have a game in the Garden, with fans, that is his last. Be the one to decide to go, not the other way around. Very few get to decide on their own. Get the sendoff that he deserves from the fans.

Definitely get the retirement vibe, but I could 100% see Hank saying he wants to stick it out, will back up and get his MSG sendoff in front of friends, family, and the fans.

I'm sure he was a little bothered by seeing guys leave or get traded but what was the team supposed to do, keep all these older players together? They had plenty of chances to win a cup together but that group couldn't get it done so we moved on from certain guys whether it was because of a contract, to get assets back, etc. We needed a bit of a restart and new blood on this team.

That's sports though. Older players leave and the new guys come in. Hank isn't just any older player, he's the best goalie in franchise history and a future hall of famer and i'm sure the team will work with him regardless of his decision.

 

[Rangers394]

Problem as I see it is that in both 2021 and 2022 Rangers now actually have a chance at the cup. With both Kakko and Lafreniere and a few other cheap salaries you should try to do all you can not having dead cap. Instead spending it on defense. Having Lundqvist at 8.5 and maybe even at 3.0 (in 2021-22) avoids that. Maybe buying out Smith is all you should do.

So...the idea to tighten defense and go with Lundqvist should at least be one option.

Chester-kin and Georgiev and possibly Strome and DeAngelo can give real Stanley Cup material in return.

You're suggesting we trade Shesterkin in order to start a 39-40 year old goalie? You're not serious right?

 

[TominNC]

They're going to need to move Georgiev, problem is there isn't much of a market for him. And buying him out is not a sensible option either. [A] it looks bad to do to the best goaltender in your franchises history and will turn off a lot of fans and (B) there is still a $5.5M cap hit associated with his buy out next year.

You're talking about $12.9M in dead cap space, no owner is going to be happy about that, and it also limits your ability to ice a competitive team with that much money tied up in dead cap space [we already know the Cap is not going up]. Then factor things in, like Kreider getting a raise, and buying out Lundqvist would literally not save any money on the Cap. It just does not make sense to me.

The only real option you have if Lundqvist does not retire [which Im skeptic he will], is to trade Georgiev for an undesirable draft position.

Edit: I don't know why all of this is bold. Sorry.

How does buying out Hank not save cap space. It literally does just that.