Darren Dreger on TSN Insider said Tuesday that the Rangers plan to buyout Henrik Lundqvist possibly as early as Wednesday. Here is the link to the full video with the Lundqvist story the first part of the segment and in the tweet below. Granted, no confirmation of this news yet, but Dreger is pretty well connected as we know, though the Rangers have been very tightlipped on everything, so take this bit of information with a grain of salt.

Will post Insider Trading on TSN platforms soon. Ton of stuff going on. Oilers and Bruins among the clubs with interest in OEL. Jake Virtanen in play? And, NYR and decorated goalie, Henrik Lundqvist are about to part ways.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) September 29, 2020

Darren Dreger on TSN’s Insider Trading that the New York Rangers could buyout Henrik Lundqvist as early as tomorrow #NYR pic.twitter.com/zv7y7xCYLD

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) September 29, 2020

Buying out Lundqvist would save $3 million on the cap this season, the majority of that total going to re-sign Alexandar Georgiev with a little left over, while next year the cap hit is $1.5 million. New York was rumored to be exploring buying out Marc Staal before agreeing to deal him to Detroit, saving $5.7 million on the cap this season at the cost of a 2021 second round pick. With $4.5 million of dead cap space if Hank is bought out, the Blueshirts will have just under $13 million of the $81 million cap tied up on players no longer on the team (Girardi - $1.11 mil, Spooner - $300k, Shattenkirk - $6.08 million and Lundqvist - $5.5 million), which is not ideal cap management.

According to @DarrenDreger on #InsiderTrading, all signs point to the #NYRangers buying out the final year of Henrik Lundqvist's contract.

Here's what a buyout of the future HOF goalie looks like:

2020-21: $5,500,000 (-3.0M)
2021-22: $1,500,000 (+1.5M)https://t.co/qiJxkm19kd pic.twitter.com/DbNxiXRexS

— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) September 29, 2020

If this is end for the King in New York, it's an ignominious way to go out. I would rather see him retire than be in another jersey. But Lundqvist still wants to play and could have a handful of suitors, though it's unclear if he would be brought in as a starter or back up. But if he does decide to retire, as Larry Brooks notes below might be an option, then why not wait until the second buyout period, since we all expect an arb case or two, rather than making that decision now?

If as a starter, you would think it might be with a team not vying for a Cup based on his play the last few seasons. Though his advanced metrics have been strong and we could see a team like Carolina or Colorado viewing him as the final piece of the puzzle. Could Calgary be an option as well? If he does land as a starter, look for Hank to play 50-55 games at most, even though we know he likes the work.

If NYR really does buy out Lundqvist, I just hope the King is on board with it. He hasn't been a plus goaltender in a few years but he's been fine considering the team in front of him. I'd make excuses for him if he wanted to play until he was 60 y.o.https://t.co/bJGC49Qc9U pic.twitter.com/6eYW6ecmLV

— Sean Tierney (@ChartingHockey) September 29, 2020

As Brooks noted in his column below, the numbers are staggering. He will be a first ballot Hall of Famer and have his #30 raised to rafters. Yes, that is a tear you see rolling down my cheek.

Fifteen seasons, 11 trips to the postseason the first 12 years, 11 playoff series victories, a trip to the Cup final in 2014 folded into three trips to the Eastern Conference finals within four years during the halcyon days of the last decade, franchise records with 459 victories, 64 shutouts, 61 postseason victories, the 2011-12 Vezina Trophy and a first-All-Star team berth that same Black-and-Blueshirt season.

Rangers buying out Henrik Lundqvist in bittersweet end of an era https://t.co/CUtsBNkNfr pic.twitter.com/EbJG2EIeAv

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) September 29, 2020

For a legend.

For representing the Rangers with class and dignity.
For loving our city unconditionally.
For saving the day, time and again.
For giving it all - always.
For 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 New York sports.
For a lifetime of memories.

For you, HEN-RIK. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/OQ4v7ClsZp

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 30, 2020

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!
15 years ago, I played my first game for @NYRangers I came here with high hopes and big dreams but in my wildest imagination, I could never have pictured the amazing ride that lay ahead.. pic.twitter.com/uo0HJMZnCj

— Henrik Lundqvist (@HLundqvist30) September 30, 2020

Enjoy some of the best of Lundqvist's saves thread:

pic.twitter.com/tjhUFBTMeP

— Anarchist Jurisdiction Resident (@igorshestwerkin) August 5, 2020

Thank you for everything @HLundqvist30 👑pic.twitter.com/bV37HItM7i

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) September 29, 2020

“I Lived” | Farewell Henrik Lundqvist ♥ @HLundqvist30 https://t.co/q7eSEwu2AJ

— AJ Castiglia (@ajcastigliaa) September 29, 2020

Follow @airjan23

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