Henrik Lundqvist, the 36-year-old leader of the New York Rangers, had the opportunity to leave the team and bypass what could be a painfully long rebuilding process. He declined the offer, as he wanted to be part of the rebuild to get the Blueshirts another opportunity at a Stanley Cup.
The startling confirmation that the organization indeed asked the King what he would like to do came in an article written by Larry Brooks of the New York Post. Jim Dolan told Brooks,
“We told Hank that if he didn’t want to ride it out through this process, we’d find a good landing place for him,” Dolan said during a conversation at his MSG office.