5 teams who could trade for Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 01: New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (30) during the second period of the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers on April 1, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images /

2. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets bowed out in six games to the Boston Bruins in the second round of the playoffs, but their first round upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning will live in history.

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen went all-in at this year’s trade deadline, acquiring Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel from the Ottawa Senators while hanging onto pending unrestricted free agents Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin. A deep playoff run seemed unlikely after becoming the second Wild Card in the East, but that opening playoff upset shows some promise for the future.

In Columbus, there is another of Lundqvist’s former head coaches. John Tortorella was the Rangers’ coach for five seasons himself (2008-2013), including Lundqvist’s Vezina Trophy campaign in 2011-12.

It’s a foregone conclusion Bobrovsky will leave the Blue Jackets in free agency, and that will leave a significant void in goal. With a good amount of cap space, not a lot of notable holes to fill and the Tortorella tie, a Lundqvist-Columbus marriage could very easily come.

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