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New York Rangers: 5 burning questions for 2018-19 season

By Hunter Hodies

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 09: Henrik Lundqvist #30 and the New York Rangers look on after being defeated 4-2 against the Ottawa Senators in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 9, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 09: Henrik Lundqvist #30 and the New York Rangers look on after being defeated 4-2 against the Ottawa Senators in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 9, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

4. Will Henrik Lundqvist slow down?

This isn’t a question that most Rangers fans would want to hear but it’s worth having a discussion about. Lundqvist is one of the best goaltenders to ever play in this league and he’s been as consistent as ever since joining the NHL. In seven consecutive seasons in his career, he’s had a save percentage of .920 or higher. In the playoffs, he’s a career .922 which is also very, very good.

The last couple seasons though haven’t been his best and he’s now 36 going into this season. In 2017, he had a .910 save percentage and this past season, it was .915. His save percentage at 5V5 this season was .919, which is just his third-lowest save percentage of his career at 5V5. Before the 2016-2017 season, his 5V5 save percentage had been .920 or higher in each season he played in since joining the league.

Dating back to the 2010-2011 season, he had a 5V5 save percentage of .930 or higher in five times. The three times he wasn’t .930 was this past season, last season, and the 2013-2014 season. He’s been consistent as ever and even the best players at what they do slow down at some point.

The defense was a major problem for New York last season as there was just nothing Lundqvist could do on some of the goals that got passed him. Going into this season, the defense is still a major question mark so it may factor in again when looking at Lundqvist’s numbers after this upcoming season. Even with those question marks, there’s still a chance that he could show signs of decline due to him getting closer to 40.

Martin Brodeur’s decline started when he was almost 40 as well when he couldn’t even have a save percentage of .910 starting in 2010-11 through the rest of his career. Time hasn’t caught Lundqvist yet, but it could very soon.

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