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Yesterday, New York Rangers assistant GM Jeff Gorton spoke to the media and said that there is no update to give on the contract talks with goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who is an unrestricted free agent after the 2013-14 season,
While many would say that is really bad news, Gorton also said that even though there is no update on the negotiations, Lundqvist still wants to stay with the Rangers and the feeling is mutual.
This is all great news to hear if you are a Rangers fan like myself, but I would still feel a lot more comfortable if Lundqvist said it himself. While there is a bigger possibility of Lundqvist staying with the Rangers, there is still a chance that he will leave if the Rangers do not give him the deal he wants and/or doesn’t give him the best chance to win a Stanley Cup.
Gorton also said that there is no update on the contract talks with center Derek Stepan, who is a restricted free agent this season. So even though Lundqvist is the more valuable of the two, Stepan will ironically get the royal treatment for now, as Rangers GM Glen Sather has to figure out ways to get Shim on the payroll for the season starting in a few months, rather than Lundqvist, who isn’t a free agent until the 2014-15 season.
I believe Sather and the Rangers front office get both deals done before the start of this season. Stepan’s deal will come first, but I believe Lundqvist will also have a new deal before the start of the season. If not, then Rangers fans have to start questioning whether Lundqvist really wants to stay in New York City and play for the Rangers as much as he supposedly says he does.
What do you think?
Steven Carollo is a New York Rangers sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, and join his Google network.
