Henrik Lundqvist has been considered by many to be the best goaltender in the NHL, and he was treated that way when he signed a seven-year, $59.5 million contract extension with the New York Rangers last week.
It's now up to Lundqvist to start playing that way again if the Rangers want to be more than a middling team merely hovering around playoff contention.
After Lundqvist was yanked during the first period of a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night, the Rangers' fourth straight loss, it seems he's nowhere close to that elite level.
The Rangers are in dire straits right now despite sitting at 15-17-1, two points out of a playoff spot in a Metropolitan Division that features the Pittsburgh Penguins and seven other teams that are playing AHL-level hockey.
They will be without captain Ryan Callahan due to a sprained left knee for four to six weeks, and defenseman Marc Staal is out indefinitely with a concussion, an injury similar to the one that cost him 36 games at the start of the 2011-12 season.
Staal's concussion history makes this latest brain injury an even bigger concern. Ran ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Dave Lozo
Henrik Lundqvist Rebound Needed to Save Depleted New York Rangers
December 12th, 2013 by Dave Lozo Leave a reply »
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