A loyalty to royalty
Despite recent benching, King still Rangers’ No. 1
THE takeaway that is not necessarily related to Antti Raanta’s sterling work through three straight starts that features two consecutive shutouts following Sunday’s 5-0 victory over the Devils at the Garden, but more generally correlates to the Finn’s superior body of work through two years on Broadway is this:
The Rangers’ greatest vulnerability in the 2017 expansion draft is neither on defense nor up front, but rather in nets, where the club can protect only one goaltender — and is obligated to protect Henrik Lundqvist because of the no-move clause in his contract — and thus must leave Raanta available for claim by Vegas.
For though the Blueshirts do have promising 20-year-olds in Brandon Halverson (AHL Hartford) and Igor Shesterkin (KHL St. Petersburg) in the pipeline, neither would be a reasonable option to replace Raanta as Lundqvist’s understudy. Of those who likely will be exposed — including Nick Holden, Kevin Klein, Michael Grabner, Jesper Fast and Oscar Lindberg — none would leave nearly as big a void as Raanta should he be claimed.
Raanta, so cool and economical in his crease, has been bang-on since replacing Cam Talbot in that role in the wake of the Prince’s trade to Edmonton following the 2014-15 season, going 19-7-2/.927/2.04 in 28 starts. Acquired from Chicago in exchange for Ryan Haggerty at the 2015 draft, Raanta has provided Vigneault with as legitimate an alternative in nets as was Talbot, who went 33-15-5/.931/2.00 in 53 starts in two seasons in New York.
He provides an invaluable safety net for the Rangers when Lundqvist requires rest or practice time in which to hone his game, as is now the case.
The decision to go with Raanta against the Devils was not in the least a surprise, not after Uncle Antti’s sparkling work in back-to-back victories in Winnipeg and Chicago through which he provided a combination of stability and excellence while stopping 43of-44 shots in 2-1 and 1-0 victories, respectively, the latter in overtime.
Rather, it would have been a surprise had Vigneault reflexively gone back to Lundqvist just because of the name on the back of his uniform.
True enough, this does mark the first time since Dec. 22-23-27, 2013 that Lun- dqvist was a healthy backup for three straight, sitting then behind Talbot. And yes indeed, this did mark only the third time since the start of Lundqvist’s sophomore 2006-07 season that he watched three straight from the bench, having also backed up Kevin Weekes on Nov. 1-2-5, 2006.
But the throne has not been abdicated and this does not represent either a changing of the gardien de but, as they say in Montreal, or a goaltending controversy, as they would say everywhere else. Lundqvist will resume his role as the No. 1 he has held pretty much from the first month of his career, and more likely than not on Tuesday when the Blackhawks come to town.
Why? Because it is time. Time for the franchise bedrock, given a respite through which he has gotten in at least a couple of hard-work practices with goaltending coach Benoit Allaire, to reassert himself. And the timing is all the better now that the Rangers have re-established their structure after a few blah weeks of their own.
Not for a minute do I believe that Lundqvist has become complacent or entitled. He burns to win. Burns to be a difference-maker on a team that otherwise doesn’t truly have one. This hasn’t been about sending the King a message, though it never hurts any athlete to be reminded how transitory this all can be.
Lundqvist isn’t Eddie Giacomin at the start of the 1975-76 season in which the fabled No. 1 seemed to grow old overnight before he was waived to the Red Wings. This isn’t that at all. Lundqvist has had his share of high points in going 12-8-1/.912/2.55 but there have been a few too many odd ones getting by on the glove/short side. Too many hiccups handling the puck. Not enough consistency. Too much visible frustration on the ice. It happens, even to the best of them. Still. Even as the affable and grounded Raanta has been an essential ingredient in 20-9-1 Rangers’ mix, there remains one No. 1 on Broadway. And despite these three straight, despite the one goal-against in the 180:55 turned in by Raanta, that job designation belongs to Lundqvist.
He will be back (not a backup).