Lundqvist says next year is all about business
Make no mistake about it. Henrik Lundqvist is in for the rebuild, all right, but the goaltender believes there’s only one priority for the Rangers when the club reconvenes for training camp in September.
Hint: It doesn’t involve bottoming out.
“Next year has to be about winning and nothing else,” the goaltender told The Post in advance of his start Tuesday night in New Jersey against a Devils team closing in on its first playoff berth since 2012. “I understand that the end now has been about the young guys getting used to the league and getting confidence, but next year is not about the process.
“It’s about winning games.”
The Rangers have won 34-of-79 games. Lundqvist, whose 40-save, 2-1 victory in Carolina on Saturday marked the 11th game this year in which he has faced at least 40 shots after seeing that many 48 times over the first 12 seasons of his career, has won 26-of-59 starts.
In other words, not nearly enough to satisfy anyone.
The subject of 2018-19 was broached during the course of Lundqvist’s response to being asked whether he could appreciate the conundrum the Rangers have faced these last few weeks in which their respectable 7-6-3 postdeadline record has cost the organization points and position in the entry draft lottery set for April 28.
The Blueshirts were seventh in the lottery standings and had a chance to fall/rise to fifth upon skating onto the ice in Vancouver on Feb. 28 for their first postdeadline match. But with essentially every team around them collapsing and/or quitting — the Red Wings, 4-12-1; the Canadiens, 5-10-3; the Blackhawks, 5-9-2; the Islanders, 3-10-3 — the Blueshirts have settled into 10th on the lottery chart.
The difference between seventh and 10th represents a 56 percent less chance of claiming a topthree pick, 11.4 versus 20.4; and 54 percent less chance of winning the grand prize, 3.5 versus 6.5.
“I could see it being an issue if you’re in the bottom two or three and you have a good chance to get the first- or second-overall pick, but in a position like we are, I don’t think that picking eight, nine, 10 or 11 really makes much of a difference,” Lundqvist said. “Unless you get the first pick, or maybe the second, it all seems like a gamble to me.
“Maybe it has something to do with where I was picked [205th overall in 2000], and I haven’t done a statistical study on it, but I think when you get past that, you have about the same chance of getting a big-time player as you go down the first round and then even after that.
“You have to nail it, but [the scouts] have to do that no matter where we pick.”
The Rangers have introduced rookies Alexandar Georgiev, Neal Pionk, John Gilmour, Rob O’Gara, Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson into the mix over the past seven weeks, but the organization and coach Alain Vigneault have played this as straight as possible down the stretch. For better or worse, roles have been assigned and ice time granted not much differently than during the first four months.
“Personally, you want to win, you want to battle, you want to feel good about what you’re doing, and not only as an individual but as a team,” said Lundqvist, 5-5-1 with a .947 save percentage and 2.36 GAA when facing 40 or more shots this year. “It’s important that the guys who are here for the first time understand they need to compete.
“That is what we expect here. If [our veterans] had seen that the front office was encouraging tanking, that would not have been appreciated, absolutely not. You want to be a part of a group that’s doing everything it can to win, no matter what the circumstances. In the event you don’t see that from everyone, there are people here who will let it be known that isn’t acceptable.
“That’s your job.”
Jesper Fast, suffering from groin issues, has been ruled out of the season’s final three games by Vigneault. Fast, who had posted 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 11 games since elevated to the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, including his assist on Kevin Hayes’ shorthanded goal in Carolina, will finish his fourth season with career bests in goals (13) and points (33) while tying his personal best in assists (20).
Mats Zuccarello, who is expected to miss Tuesday’s match, could also miss the remainder of the year. The winger went for an ankle/foot MRI exam Monday after blocking multiple shots over the last couple of contests.
The Devils’ magic number for clinching rested at four points prior to Florida’s match at home Monday against Carolina. A Panthers loss in regulation would mean that New Jersey would clinch with a victory against the Blueshirts.