New York Rangers: What is next for Henrik Lundqvist?

What could happen to Henrik Lundqvist if the New York Rangers part ways with him?

If you were to ask hockey fans who the best goalie over the last decade has been in the NHL, many would answer with Henrik Lundqvist. Despite not playing behind the most talented rosters, Lundqvist has led the New York Rangers to the playoffs on many occasions, often having to do so nearly all by himself.

Unfortunately, the 38-year-old is starting to slow down. Although he did not see the net much at all during the second half of the 2019-20 season, the Rangers started Lundqvist in Games 1 and 2 of their play-in series versus the Carolina Hurricanes. While he certainly wasn’t at fault in either of the losses, it was clear that he no longer has the ability to carry a team like he once did.

The team then turned to rookie sensation Igor Shesterkin in Game 3, but lost once again and were eliminated from the postseason.

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Now that the season is over for the Rangers, there is a question that will likely be asked for a long period of this offseason. What is next for Lundqvist?

Early Career

Lundqvist, who is without a doubt the best goaltender in Rangers’ history, is also likely the best draft pick in franchise history. The Rangers selected the future Hall of Famer in the seventh-round (205 overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

He remained in Sweden until the 2005-06 season, where he immediately made an impact in New York. His rookie season saw him appear in 53 games, posting a 2.24 goals against average (GAA) and a .922% save percentage (SV%), along with a 30-12-9 record.

This was no doubt an incredible start, but it turned out to be just the beginning for the Swedish netminder. Fast forward to where we are now, Lundqvist has just wrapped up his 15th season with the team, with this past being the first he hasn’t been the clear-cut number one for the team.

While he had many outstanding seasons in a Rangers uniform, none were better than his Vezina Trophy-winning 2011-12 season. That year saw him post an incredible 1.97 GAA and a .929% SV%, which are both career highs.

Playoff Disappointments

While Lundqvist had many great seasons from a personal standpoint, he has not yet been able to hoist the Stanley Cup. This certainly doesn’t fall on him, as he has been outstanding during his career in the playoffs, but has lacked a truly solid roster to help him out. As a result, he has had many disappointing playoff exits in his career, none more so than the 2014 playoffs.

The 2013-14 season saw the Rangers ice one of their strongest lineups during Lundqvist’s tenure with the team, and it was nearly enough. They appeared in the Stanley Cup Final but were defeated by the L.A. Kings in five games. To this point in his career, he has appeared in a whopping 130 NHL playoff games but has yet to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Cup Chasing?

Despite the quick elimination this season, the Rangers are improving. With the signing of superstar Artemi Panarin last offseason, along with players such as Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, and Tony DeAngelo, they could very well be one of the leagues top teams in a few years.

The problem with that is Lundqvist doesn’t have much time left in him. In fact, with the solid play of Alexandar Georgiev and their up and coming superstar in Shesterkin, the team may not even have room for him next season.

This offseason will be a tough one from the perspective of the Rangers management. Shesterkin is clearly their guy going forward, which means they will have to decide between Lundqvist and Georgiev. The latter is only 24 years old and has a bright future ahead of him. However, he also has significantly higher trade value and could bring in a solid return.

As mentioned above, Lundqvist is 38. He still has one more year on his contract, with a cap hit of $8.5 million. While no team would take that cap hit straight up, the Rangers may be able to sweeten the pot by either adding draft picks and/or retaining some of his salary.

This is all up to Lundqvist himself, however, as he also has a no-movement clause, meaning he will remain with the team if he chooses to. If he wants a chance at a Stanley Cup, however, a trade may be necessary.