The Rangers are at a crossroads. January was a lost month. February is off to an inauspicious start following a 4-0 drubbing by the Maple Leafs Thursday. And as injuries mount and greater forces in the Metropolitan Division flex their might, it seems likely the Blueshirts brass may decide to cut their losses at the Feb. 26 trade deadline and focus on the future.
Either way, count Henrik Lundqvist in.
As rumors swirl about a veteran firesale, New York's longest-tenured foot soldier affirmed his commitment to the organization Friday, rather than chase a Stanley Cup elsewhere.
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“I want to play for one organization. This one," Lundqvist told the New York Post in a lengthy interview about the state of the franchise, the only one he's known in 13 NHL seasons. "I love it here. I want to be here and battle through the ups and downs, the good and the bad. It’s important to me.”
Last week, the Post churned the NHL's rumor mill by reporting the Rangers are willing to trade veteran forwards Rick Nash and Michael Grabner — both pending unrestricted free agents — and would consider offers for captain Ryan McDonagh and winger Mats Zuccarello, who can become UFAs following the 2018-19 season.
Lundqvist, 35, would seem to be a poor fit on a team that wants to reset. He's never won a Stanley Cup. An opportunity to do so may not present itself in the Big Apple for several more years, at minimum, when Lundqvist will be pushing 40.
“The question has come up before about maybe having to go somewhere else to win it, but I don’t think that way,” Lundqvist said. “I’ve never felt the need for that.”
This season, the fourth of a seven-year, $59.5 million contract extension Lundqvist signed in 2013, has come as a revelation to those who wrote of the All-Star netminder following a down 2016-17 season. His .919 save percentage is back on par with career averages, and he's been in the crease for 21 of the Rangers' 25 wins.
Lundqvist can't do it all, though. The Rangers are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games. Injuries to Chris Kreider (rib resection), Kevin Shattenkirk (knee surgery) and, most recently, Pavel Buchnevich (concussion) have made it difficult for the Blueshirts to tread water while waiting to return to full strength.
Meanwhile, the Metro isn't getting any easier. Pittsburgh and Carolina recovered from slow starts and look ready to fulfill their preseason potential. Washington and Columbus are penciled in to playoff spots. Even upstarts Philadelphia and New Jersey are better positioned to finish ahead of New York, barring a reversal of fortune.
Lundqvist brushed off questions about the future during All-Star Weekend festivities. And while no one would have faulted him for wanting out, his preference was never really in question. Now comes the hard part: Building a contender around an aging goaltender before it's too late.
