The New York Rangers management made a decision this season to rebuild, as they believed they were destined for the dreaded middle yet again. That decision signaled a change in philosophy after years of the Rangers being a contender. The new direction was necessary, but it was still a bitter blow to many staples of the franchise. Perhaps no player suffered more disappointment at the news than Henrik Lundqvist, who tried to save the season of the team in front of him up to that point.
As much as a rebuild gives the Rangers a better chance at contending in the near future, that timeline may not line up with Lundqvist’s remaining tenure.