3 goalies the Pittsburgh Penguins can add this offseason

3. Henrik Lundqvist

Henrik Lundqvist’s future on the ice is quite uncertain. Yes, he was able to return to training after open heart surgery, but he’s 39 years old, which is quite old for a goalie. And Lundqvist has a lot of miles on his body – he’s played over 1,000 NHL games between the regular season and postseason. Lundqvist is no longer the annual Vezina Trophy candidate he was for the better part of over 10 years.

That said, Lundqvist has several advantages for the Penguins. First of all, you’re simply not going to find a goalie with more experience than King Henrik. He would be great in the locker room and would probably help mentor whoever else the Penguins have in goal.

Secondly, the Penguins aren’t going to have much cap space next offseason. Before factoring in RFA signings and the such, they’ll have a shade over $2 million of cap space. Most of that cap space, if not all of it, will be dedicated to re-signing Zach Aston-Reese and Teddy Blueger.

Lundqvist is likely going to come cheap. He signed for just $1.5 million with the Washington Capitals last offseason. Coming off open heart surgery, his price will probably be even lower this summer.

That said, it’s worth pointing out Lundqvist probably isn’t a number one goalie at this point. To be fair, how many 39 year olds can say they’re a number one goalie? If the Penguins want more of a “1b” goalie than a number one goalie, Lundqvist would be a nice addition. But given the uncertainty regarding his on-ice career, Pittsburgh will probably seek another option.