King Henrik signs extension

[Gaucho]

Seven years, $8.5 miliion per season.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=438170

[Jim]

Youch. At least they are set in goal for a long while (barring injury)

[npv708]

Well, you have to pay if you want to get a goalie that knows how to take a team all the way and has so many Stanley Cups under his belt...

I guess you probably have to pay for someone like Lundquist, too...

[meow]

Of all the long term deals, I have a feeling this is going to look the worst by the end of it.

[mikey287]

It's an interesting scenario really...you got a guy here in Lundqvist who's obviously been the best goalie from the second lockout on (2005), right? I don't think it's particularly close either...so you got a name brand there, a good model for consistency...maybe a little light on the postseason resume, but we can't all have shutdown goalies...

On the flip side, this contract does not kick in until Lundqvist is 32...yeah, he's that old already...so we're talking down side of his career here, you'd think...it's a tough spot. He's clearly the best goalie in franchise history, he's one of the best players in franchise history - which says a lot for an O6 team...now he's truly a career Ranger...really, they're damned if they do, damned if they don't...this is the price tag you pay to not have to guess with someone else...

Now, too, let's remember...this isn't $8.5 million of "new" money...this is just a $1.625M/yr raise...that kind of figure will be washed out with the Canadian TV deal's effect on the salary cap...so it's not exactly crippling, they were already paying this basically...but now they're paying it on the - you'd think - down side of his career...

I don't care much for the big goalie deals, I don't find the need for them to be executed in today's game...but if you're going to go for one, at least it's with an elite goaltender like Lundqvist...instead of a two-bit schlub like Corey Crawford or Jonas Hiller for a couple million less...

[shmenguin]

he deserves as big of a contract as a goalie is entitled to. but i don't think any goalie is worth this money.

[Jim]

Not including Brodeur, what active goalie has his name on the most Cups, especially as the starter?

[mikey287]

Fleury, tied for first.

Just off the top of my head we had (last 10):

Crawford vs. Rask
Quick vs. Brodeur
Thomas vs. Luongo
Niemi vs. Leighton
Fleury vs. Osgood
Osgood vs. Fleury
Giguere vs. Emery
Ward vs. Roloson
Khabibulin vs. Kiprusoff
Brodeur vs. Giguere

Yeah, goalie is the most important position in the game...womp...

[columbia]

He's certainly the most important player on the Rangers.

[lemieuxReturns]

Best goalie the past few seasons for sure, but wowzers... that is a lot of money. Was Lundquist not interested in giving any discount at all or is Sather just a horrible negotiator?

[Pitts]

Sather has always been like Holmgren/Clark -- throw the most money at them first so no one else will want to try to match it. It also makes them feel like big dogs in the yard, because they can. It doesn't really work or anything, but it looks impressive.

[Pitts]

Fleury, tied for first.

Wow. Just imagine if he was in the "shut down" membership!

[Crankshaft]

Fleury, tied for first.

Just off the top of my head we had (last 10):

Crawford vs. Rask
Quick vs. Brodeur
Thomas vs. Luongo
Niemi vs. Leighton
Fleury vs. Osgood
Osgood vs. Fleury
Giguere vs. Emery
Ward vs. Roloson
Khabibulin vs. Kiprusoff
Brodeur vs. Giguere

Yeah, goalie is the most important position in the game...womp...

Bazinga

[Penspal]

too much and too long..... suckers

[pcm]

Lundqvist is not on that list.

[MRandall25]

This seems like a very Glen Sather contract

[ajh2298]

I don't know once you stare into King Henry's eyes you will agree to just about anything.

[ron_duguays_hair]

Awful contract. I love it.

Most franchise players take a pay cut to help out that team. Not that jerk. Would you want to block a shot for him?

[mikey287]

Yes. He's so dreamy.

[Rylan]

Its not a bad contract in reality. Its just a nice raise and provides stability in a position that has become difficult to predict. No matter how much one may see goalies as being not as important anymore, having a goalie you know is going to provide you the best opportunity to win is a must. Add in the fact he is arguably one of the greatest Rangers of all time and he must stay in NY. Couple that with next year's cap raise, plus the future raises and this contract will slowly begin to be forgotten.

[columbia]

It could be worse: they could be relying on BRoeth to anchor their team to the promised land.

[mikey287]

Its not a bad contract in reality. Its just a nice raise and provides stability in a position that has become difficult to predict. No matter how much one may see goalies as being not as important anymore, having a goalie you know is going to provide you the best opportunity to win is a must. Add in the fact he is arguably one of the greatest Rangers of all time and he must stay in NY. Couple that with next year's cap raise, plus the future raises and this contract will slowly begin to be forgotten.

Agree.

[Crankshaft]

Awful contract. I love it.

Most franchise players take a pay cut to help out that team. Not that jerk. Would you want to block a shot for him?

Is this serious?

[NJ5934]

Its not a bad contract in reality. Its just a nice raise and provides stability in a position that has become difficult to predict. No matter how much one may see goalies as being not as important anymore, having a goalie you know is going to provide you the best opportunity to win is a must. Add in the fact he is arguably one of the greatest Rangers of all time and he must stay in NY. Couple that with next year's cap raise, plus the future raises and this contract will slowly begin to be forgotten.

Agree.

Second.

Like him or not, it's hard to argue that Henry has not been the top goaltender league wide for the past five years. I'd take Henry at 8.5 over Letang at 7.5 in a heartbeat.

[Kovy27]

Its not a bad contract in reality. Its just a nice raise and provides stability in a position that has become difficult to predict. No matter how much one may see goalies as being not as important anymore, having a goalie you know is going to provide you the best opportunity to win is a must. Add in the fact he is arguably one of the greatest Rangers of all time and he must stay in NY. Couple that with next year's cap raise, plus the future raises and this contract will slowly begin to be forgotten.

Agree.

Second.

Like him or not, it's hard to argue that Henry has not been the top goaltender league wide for the past five years. I'd take Henry at 8.5 over Letang at 7.5 in a heartbeat.

He's the best goaltender, but the Rangers have some huge decisions to make with Callahan, Brassard, Boyle, Zuccarello, Girardi, Del Zotto (more than likely traded this year), Falk, Moore. So, that larger cap hit is going to be a pain for them. However, there isn't a doubt in my mind that they buy out Richards to save Callahan, Boyle, Girardi.