Per Bob McKenzie, the biggest obstacle for the Rangers and locking up franchise goalie Henrik Lundqvist won’t be dollars, but it years:

Bob McKenzie: And that’s also the thorny issue there could be withHenrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers. When Henrik Lundqvist‘s current deal expires and he’s on an extension, he’ll be 33-years-old on the first year of that extension. Do you want to give a 33-year-old goaltender, as good as Henrik Lundqvist is and as much as he means to the New York Rangers, a long-term deal or do you want it shorter?

The emphasis here is on the word could in the first sentence. McKenzie is absolutely right, the only real sticking point will be term, not dollars. Hank is going to get more than the $7 million given to Tuukka Rask and Pekka Rinne, that’s a given. If New York gives him eight years, that puts him through to his age-41 season. Hank has shown no signs of slowing down, but goaltenders do tend to break down in their mid-to-late-thirties.

Again, emphasis is on the word could. It could be a problem, it might night not be a problem.

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