Forget about all the LINsanity in New York, there is something more magical going on here in New York. How about a little something called LUNDsanity. That’s right New York Rangers All Star Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The debate has begun should King Henrik be in the running for the Hart Trophy (MVP) as well as the Vezina (Top Goalie in the NHL). There are some that believe that a goalie should not receive the Hart Trophy because the Vezina is the MVP Trophy for goalies. Well it hasn’t been done since Jose Theodore in the 2001-2002 season, in which he posted 30 wins, 2.11 GAA, .931 SV%, 7 SO . As it stands right now Lundqvist has posted 28 wins, a 1.77 goals-against average, .941 save-percentage, and seven shutouts in 42 starts. He is on the verge of his 7th straight 30 win season, and proves night in and night out why he is so valuable to his team.
The early front runner for the Hart was Evgeni Malkin but he has cooled down, while Lundqvist has done nothing but play better and better with each passing game. This season Lundqvist has come in at a lighter weight because he wanted to be quicker in net, and in the offseason worked on his glove side reflexes, which both have attributed to his dominance this season. You can try as hard as you want to find a weakness in his game, but I assure you, you will not find any. This season Lundqvist may see the least amount of regular season starts in his career due to the health and excellent play of his back up Marty Biron. This is going to be a huge key down the stretch as the Rangers make their run for the Franchises first Stanley Cup since 1994. Make no mistake about it,
The King deserves to be the front runner for both the Hart and Vezina trophies, if you don’t believe me ask his teammates, who have said night in and night out he is the reason they play with as much confidence as they do, knowing he is back there to clean up and keep pucks out of the net. They will tell you they fell that when “Hanky” is in net they feel like they can win every single game. That sounds like the definition of a Most Valuable Player to me. He is a fan favorite and his work in the community should never go unnoticed, so even if the league doesn’t recognize Henrik Lundqvist as the MVP, the city of New York and the Rangers faithful does and will. That is why he is The King of New York.
By Joe Clewell
@Blueshirts10
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