Saturday's regular-season finale in Philadelphia will bring Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist back to a setting where he last experienced the bitter taste of missing out on the playoffs.
Back in the 2009-10 regular-season finale, the Rangers missed the playoffs for the first time in Lundqvist's career via a shootout loss at the Wells Fargo Center. A Brian Boucher stop on Olli Jokinen propelled the Flyers into the postseason while simultaneously ending the Rangers' season in the cruelest way imaginable.
"I'm just so empty, I don't know what to say," Lundqvist said following the season-ending defeat.
In the years that followed, Lundqvist helped guide the Rangers to seven consecutive playoff appearances – including a trip to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final and three Eastern Conference Final appearances.
This Saturday, Lundqvist will appear in his 63rd game of the season and will have the chance to close out a playoff-less season with a 27th victory. It was clear that this season would not include a trip to the postseason long before the Rangers were officially eliminated from playoff contention March 27.
Though playoff hopes were dashed, Lundqvist continued to find meaning in every game he appeared in and refused to dial back his competitive streak. The sting of defeat is always there to see in the 36-year-old goaltender's eyes when a victory is snatched away. For every bit he is skilled at stopping the puck, he is equally unable to disguise his internal feelings. The four-time All-Star carries the emotion of every loss on his sleeve.
"We all have something to play for and something to prove," Lundqvist said following a March 28 overtime defeat to the Washington Capitals. "It doesn't matter where you are in the standings, you want to win games. You want to sit in here and feel good about a win. They came back in the end and got it. It bothers me."
Keep that number of 63 games in mind. From opening night through his final appearance of March, Lundqvist appeared in 60 of the Rangers' first 77 games of the season. His current 62 games played is seventh-highest in the NHL. Each of the goaltenders above him in games played are at least four years his junior.
Unlike previous seasons, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault opted against trying to limit Lundqvist's workload by a set number of games. Last season, Vigneault outlined a plan for Lundqvist to start 50 to 58 games. He ended up starting 55 games and appeared in 57. That season resulted in Lundqvist's career-worst save percentage of .910, but the rest allowed him to sparkle in the playoffs with a .927 save percentage.
This season's plan was more about going with the flow of the schedule. Stretches against top-tier opponents, the frequency of back-to-back games, injuries and a goaltender's rhythm are all factors that make it difficult to stick with a set number of appearances.
"That's the one thing we mentioned before the start of the season, that we didn't want to put out a fixed number of games," Vigneault said earlier this season. "We really wanted to go with the schedule and this is a schedule that's permitting him to play."
But Lundqvist will turn 37 next March, and 22-year-old Alexandar Georgiev appears capable of scooping up a healthy slice of the goaltending pie. Lundqvist's season save percentage stands at .915 heading into the final regular-season game, while Georgiev has maintained a .918 save percentage through 10 career games.
While Georgiev's small sample of games isn't anything conclusive, I'm inclined to believe that the eye test is pointing to a young goaltender whose confidence is NHL-ready and can be counted on. I really like the way he competes, how he challenges shooters, his tracking of the puck and his quick side-to-side movements.
Next season, the Rangers will likely need a No. 2 goaltender who can keep Lundqvist fresh while contributing roughly 20 points in the standings. Whether it's Vigneault or a different coach at the helm next season, a lessened load on Lundqvist's shoulders is the way to go.
The development of young centers Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson will play a big role in the Blueshirts' fortunes. There will also be a need for more forward strides from youthful defensemen Neal Pionk, Tony DeAngelo and John Gilmour – but do not underestimate the impact that Georgiev can potentially make as a handy understudy to Lundqvist.
Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey
