New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist told a TV network in his native Sweden that he can't picture himself leaving New York after his contract expires next season.
Lundqvist, who is currently in negotiations with the Rangers on a contract extension that will keep the back-stop playing at Madison Square Garden for the long-term, told TV network SVT2 that he's definitely hoping to stay with the Blueshirts.
"The way the organization and fans have treated me and how much I've enjoyed it, it's hard to picture myself playing elsewhere," Lundqvist said according a tweet by SVT's Marie Lehmann.
Lehmann's tweet can be seen here:
Henrik Lundqvist: "the way the organisation & fans have treated me/how much I've enjoyed it- it's hard to picture myself playing elsewhere"
— Marie Lehmann (@svtlehmann) August 14, 2013
Lundqvist, who has established himself as a premiere goalie in the league and won the Vezina Trophy in 2012, could command a huge contract from other teams if he gets to the market as an unrestricted free agent, but the Rangers are actively working to lock him down for the long haul and match the offers he'd be expected to receive from other teams. According to CBS Sports, Larry Brooks of the New York Post noted that Lundqvist could command an eight-year contract worth $8.5 or $9.5 million a season.
Lehmann noted that Lundqvist may not look for a maximum-year deal to stay in one place his whole career and the 31-year-old goaltender said "there are more ways than one to go here," on the prospect of signing an 8-year deal with New York as opposed to a shorter one.
Lundqvist is hoping to stay in New York, but knows that the extension has to be right for him to sign.
"It's obviously going to be a very important part of my career, this next contract, there's no reason for me to deny that", Lundqvist said to Lehmann, according to CBS Sports.
After putting up a 39-18-5 record in 65 games with a 1.97 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in his Vezina year in 2012, Lundqvist went 24-16-3 in 43 games during last year's lockout-shortened season with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.
Lundqvist has been the backbone of the Rangers the last few years, leading them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 and carrying New York to a 26-18-4 record last season and into the playoffs before the team was ultimately eliminated by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Boston Bruins in five games during the semi-finals.
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