confirmed: Rangers Buyout Final Year of Henrik Lundqvist's Contract

what a weirdo, everybody running away from NYC and this guy runs back instead of playing with his brother.

I think Georgiev is the odd man out. I really hope we're done with buyouts, That $6.5 Shatty hit next season is pretty staggering, along with I think another $1.1 from Girardi's. I hope Hank is going to be the backup, and tutor for Shesterkin. I hope the King realizes it's time to pass the torch.

 

May he do it with grace and style, as he always has, and MSG will send a #30 to the rafters as a great big "Thank You".

 

I still don't like the idea of buying Hank out. Georgiev has shown that he's not that much of an improvement over Hank. Trade him, keep Hank on to finish out his contract and then move on from there. I still think Hank can effectively play 20 - 25 games if they are chosen properly.

 

Next season is so up in the air as it stands. Will it be a delayed start? Will it be a shortened season? None of us know. In that case, why not take the gamble that it will be one or the other and allow Henrik to "use up" his last year of contract under the COVID influence? Gorgiev has been a very capable backup but he would be better trade-bait in the scenario I painted. It also allows for the sentimental and respectful send-off many of us would like to see Hank receive. Yeah, do it in this pandemic year. THEN...let's look ahead to 2022 and beyond without the CAP hit dragging us to earth.

Jake Allen just got traded https://www.tsn.ca/montreal-canadiens-acquire-g-jake-allen-from-st-louis-blues-1.1518205

 

maybe Lundqvist 50% retained is heading to St. Louis to try to win the Cup?

I agree with letting Hank finish his contract here for all reasons. He's a serviceable backup, it avoids another buyout, lets him finish here with the respect he deserves. Even if he were willing to retire I think people would question if he wanted to or was pushed to. I don't want any doubts about how the face of the franchise for the last 10+ years was treated on his way out. Also, if he manages to snag the cup that he deserves about as much as Ovi deserved his in my opinion, even from the bench that would be icing on the cake.

I agree with letting Hank finish his contract here for all reasons. He's a serviceable backup, it avoids another buyout, lets him finish here with the respect he deserves. Even if he were willing to retire I think people would question if he wanted to or was pushed to. I don't want any doubts about how the face of the franchise for the last 10+ years was treated on his way out. Also, if he manages to snag the cup that he deserves about as much as Ovi deserved his in my opinion, even from the bench that would be icing on the cake.

 

I think it's too late for that. He had already been essentially discarded and pushed aside, down to the bottom rung on the depth chart of a 3 goalie tandem mid season.

weird, last post I see in this thread is from August 24...

I think it's too late for that. He had already been essentially discarded and pushed aside, down to the bottom rung on the depth chart of a 3 goalie tandem mid season.

 

To me that's a little different. Hank is extremely competitive and harsh on himself and with that I think comes an understanding that he's no longer an elite goalie and not even the best on the team. I would think he's okay with being a backup who gets 20-30 games in his final season and mentors the new hopefully star goalie. I don't know if he takes being benched as a disrespect or just a part of the game. It's obviously nothing personal and I hope he feels the same way.

Hank is not really tradeable and here is such a glut of goalies on he market now that Georgiev would have to be essentially given away.

Just a little bit more proof that he considered himself a NYer. I really don’t see him retiring at all

I don't really see Hank leaving money on the table out of the goodness of his heart. One more year as a backup isn't going to hurt a team that could very well not make the playoffs anyway. He'll be there to finish things out and help Shesterkin along the way. Meanwhile, you have a guy like Georgiev whom you can trade and get some solid assets for even if it's just a second round pick or something. I don't really see him backing up Igor for the rest of his career/

I really don't see Georgiev getting back a whole lot in a deal. I also think that with this kid Wall coming up, we can move Georgiev to a team where he'd have a chance to play more, and also let Hank sail off in style, finishing his career here in NY with one last Swan Song season.

 

After this coming season, we could bring up this kid Wall, and see if he's winner they're speaking about....

 

I think if the Rangers were eyeballing a legit run at the Cup next season, then yeah I'd consider a buyout, trade or trying to force Hank to retire....but the only Cup I think we're going to have a shot at, is the one they hand you for a urine sample.

 

Next season is a growing year in my eyes, and a year for the kids to mature into better players, learn a new structure under Jacques Martin, and hopefully a leader (Captain) will emerge. I don't see a Cup, or even the playoffs for next year; The Playoffs in my estimation would be a goal that is maybe reachable, and that's something to strive for, but I seriously doubt we'd make any noise once we got there.

 

We'll have our time....it's just not here yet...(that's my opinion) ;)

I really don't see Georgiev getting back a whole lot in a deal. I also think that with this kid Wall coming up, we can move Georgiev to a team where he'd have a chance to play more, and also let Hank sail off in style, finishing his career here in NY with one last Swan Song season.

 

After this coming season, we could bring up this kid Wall, and see if he's winner they're speaking about....

 

I think if the Rangers were eyeballing a legit run at the Cup next season, then yeah I'd consider a buyout, trade or trying to force Hank to retire....but the only Cup I think we're going to have a shot at, is the one they hand you for a urine sample.

 

Next season is a growing year in my eyes, and a year for the kids to mature into better players, learn a new structure under Jacques Martin, and hopefully a leader (Captain) will emerge. I don't see a Cup, or even the playoffs for next year; The Playoffs in my estimation would be a goal that is maybe reachable, and that's something to strive for, but I seriously doubt we'd make any noise once we got there.

 

We'll have our time....it's just not here yet...(that's my opinion) ;)

 

No backup goalie brings much of anything in return. They’re relatively easy to find and cheap to acquire generally. Even a younger one that maybe is a starter down the road won’t be particularly expensive to get.

 

He’ll bring back a fair return. But a fair return on a backup isn’t too much. 2nd rounder plus a decent prospect maybe?

No backup goalie brings much of anything in return. They’re relatively easy to find and cheap to acquire generally. Even a younger one that maybe is a starter down the road won’t be particularly expensive to get.

 

He’ll bring back a fair return. But a fair return on a backup isn’t too much. 2nd rounder plus a decent prospect maybe?

 

I feel like that is more than what we would get for him but I would be happy with that. Especially if it is this draft.

I feel like that is more than what we would get for him but I would be happy with that. Especially if it is this draft.

 

And you could be entirely right and they might not even be able to fetch that.

Either way. The return listed isn’t exactly gang busters.

 

It doesn’t really matter too much in the long run. He will not be here long-term

Yeah I agree fellas, and we gotta keep Hank one more year...It's the right way to do things, and he'll be fine playing in 20-25 games this coming season.

 

This is our "Take out the garbage" year, in my eyes!

 

We'll get there, boys!!

And you could be entirely right and they might not even be able to fetch that.

Either way. The return listed isn’t exactly gang busters.

 

It doesn’t really matter too much in the long run. He will not be here long-term

 

Agreed.

I'd be absolutely stunned if the Rangers traded Georgiev and got anything more than a 3rd rounder back...and it probably wouldn't be in this draft. I'm thinking it's a 3rd in 2022 and maybe a 6th in 2021.

I'd be absolutely stunned if the Rangers traded Georgiev and got anything more than a 3rd rounder back...and it probably wouldn't be in this draft. I'm thinking it's a 3rd in 2022 and maybe a 6th in 2021.

 

Very possible. In that case, you don't trade him. That's giving him away and he's better than that.

Very possible. In that case, you don't trade him. That's giving him away and he's better than that.

 

Maybe, but then you're left with the alternative of buying Hank out again. Something is better than that scenario.

Maybe, but then you're left with the alternative of buying Hank out again. Something is better than that scenario.

 

And around and around we go! When's the draft? lol

All signs point to The King being done as a Ranger, as unfortunate as that sounds. The reality of the situation supersedes sentimentality. And allowing players to retire in their uniform, while a nice, romantic idea, is generally bad business.

 

If all things were equal, then Lundqvist, who signed up to stick it out through the rebuild, might be afforded a chance to finish his contract here. All things are not equal. The Rangers have two young goalies who are better now than the 38-year-old King. More to the point, the Rangers have mega salary-cap issues and Lundqvist carries a massive $8.5 million cap hit in this final season.

 

The Rangers must buy him out and they know it. They must do the deed between when the buyout window opens Sept. 25 and closes Oct. 8 (or six days after the Stanley Cup final if that is the later date).

 

Rest assured, the Rangers? brass is ready to pull that trigger, painful as it will be, just as it was willing to make all the other difficult decisions throughout this rebuild. Be assured, too, that the Rangers are still not 100 percent sure how this plays out.

 

There are even those who believe Lundqvist will retire. But the likelihood of that is based on Lundqvist being bought out and unable to find a new team, which doesn?t help the Rangers? cap issue whatsoever.

 

One well-placed source said that Lundqvist does not want to be a backup elsewhere next season, playing a limited number of games and doing the backup duties, like staying on the ice with the extras or for optional morning skates. Not to mention the work and conditioning that would be required.

 

What we do believe at this point is that Lundqvist wants to give it another try somewhere, most likely with a Cup contender in an effort to fill the one big hole on his resume.

 

If Lundqvist were to retire, he would be leaving $5.5 million of actual money on the table for the final year of his contract. It won?t simply be the money, though, not if he wants to play.

 

Another source, with some knowledge of Lundqvist?s thinking, said he knows that the goaltender is done with the Rangers. The source added that he does not believe Lundqvist will play in Sweden. Indeed, the goaltender?s return to New York while the Swedish League is starting backs that up.

 

Lundqvist, this person said, would love to keep playing but ?knows that his time is up.?

 

https://theathletic.com/2051477/2020/09/08/as-buyout-window-approaches-so-does-the-end-of-henrik-lundqvists-rangers-career/?source=twittered

https://theathletic.com/2051477/2020/09/08/as-buyout-window-approaches-so-does-the-end-of-henrik-lundqvists-rangers-career/?source=twittered

 

Way too much smoke and signals being sent out about Lundqvist being bought out. This is happening.

Uh oh.... I mean, the flat cap does give the Rangers the perfect excuse I suppose.

It’s going to be crazy to pay over $10 for Shattenkirk, Staal and Lundy to not play for us, but c’e la vie.

When was the last time the Rangers did have a buyout taking cap space?

 

They alread have 7.5m in dead cap because of buyouts next season and they're going to add even more? Sounds like a good plan.