The Fallen King

by Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist

They say that a king can elevate those around him to unimaginable levels of greatness. A good king can also be elevated by those around him to protect his kingdom in times of peril. For 13 seasons a king resided in New York; his kingdom is the small piece of real estate between the pipes at Madison Square Garden. Henrik Lundqvist earned the nickname “King Henrik” because he did what most kings do: give their people hope. Rangers fans and opponents alike knew with Lundqvist in net, the Blueshirts were always in line for victory; and since 2005, 33^rd Street and 7^th Avenue was Henrik’s castle.

The 2017-18 season however has seen the Rangers struggle to possibly their first non-playoff season in seven years. Like a kingdom defeated in battle, the front office waved the white flag in the hopes of a brighter future. Core players like Rick Nash and Captain Ryan McDonagh have been traded in an attempt to rebuild. King Henrik has become a victim of father time; no longer capable of carrying his team through an entire NHL season. Now the Rangers and their fans must face the inevitable future where the king finally relinquishes his crown and steps aside. The thought of Lundqvist being traded is as real as it has ever been.

The Rangers struggles are not all on Lundqvist shoulders, but when you have been the franchise player for over a decade the blame goes with the territory. Defensively New York has been a nightmare, allowing 34 shots against per game. Injuries and inconsistent play have left the great goalie to play beyond what he is capable of at the age of 35. Lundqvist has been pulled at least four times since the All-Star break and he has shown signs of losing a step. Shots that he stymied in the past with ease now find the back of the net with more regularity. His record as of February 27^th is a mediocre 23-21-5 and he’s allowing close to three goals per game.

But for a three month stretch however the King showed that he was again up to the challenge of leading the Rangers on the quest for that elusive Stanley Cup. He posted a save percentage of .927 in November, .936 in December and .921 in January. It was his play that helped the Rangers stay competitive in the season’s first half. It was enough to land him in the All-Star game as the Rangers representative. Lundqvist had once again lifted the Rangers on his shoulders as he had done for so many years, but at the age of 35 and with declining talent around him, it would not be sustainable.

So now the man who has won a Vezina Trophy and holds a record for consecutive game seven wins yielded to a rookie making his second start in the NHL. For a man who has carried a team for so long, this was not the ending anyone pictured. It seemed like only yesterday the King was at his best as the Rangers won their first Eastern Conference title since 1994. The man who led Sweden to an unlikely gold medal in 2006 and holds several team and league records now sits helplessly and watches as the kingdom he built crumbles.

Such is the cruel fate to a season that went horribly wrong just days after a fun, emotional win in the Winter Classic. The team’s future is uncertain and Lundqvist’s own future with the Rangers is no longer a sure thing. His salary may be difficult to move in a trade, but with a decline is there a remote chance of him becoming an expensive has-been backup? Such is the unfairness of royalty. One cannot stay at the top forever. The Rangers are at the bottom of a tough Metropolitan Division and will, in all likelihood, miss the postseason. Another year lost for Henrik in trying to win his first Stanley Cup championship.

The fall of a king can be attributed to many factors. The loss of manpower; father time; decline in those around him; and self-sabotage. This season Henrik Lundqvist has been the victim of all of the above. The king will spend the last two months of the season watching the very kingdom he built at the corner of 33^rd Street and 7^th Avenue collapse.

Lundqvist’s future with the team may be in doubt but his legacy is not. It’s more than enough to have him in the Hall of Fame one day. It truly is good to be the king…until the head that wears the crown can no longer bear the burden.