New York Rangers

A live broadcast is not unlike playing in a professional sports game.

There is preparation similar to that of an athlete. It involves watching film, meeting with the team to go over the rundown, and, as the lights flicker on and the director counts down, the adrenaline kicks in. 

So when Henrik Lundqvist announced his move to the broadcast booth last fall, it seemed like a natural transition. "The King," as the former New York Rangers goaltending great came to be known as, was always an insightful quote during his 15-year NHL career. 

He found a home at MSG Networks, reuniting with his former backup goalie Stephen Valiquette and longtime studio host John Giannone.

The former teammates that used to help each other on the ice fell back into a familiar habit of helping each other in the studio.

"In a lot of ways, the backup goaltender's job in a supporting role is to keep the No. 1 guy feeling really good about themselves. Make him feel really good about himself to where his confidence never wavers," Valiquette told Bleacher Report. "Henrik knows that I watch the broadcasts when I get home. I watch it over again. I watch our pregame show, I watch the game and I watch the postgame show. He'll text me the next morning and ask, 'What did you think? What did you see last night?' We're going through the same exercise." 

A seventh-round pick in the 2000 NHL draft, he became one of the most prolific goaltenders of a generation. He led the Rangers to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, won a Vezina Trophy and will probably be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in a few years.

Friday night, his No. 30 jersey will be lifted to the rafters at Madison Square Garden. He'll become just the 11th Ranger to have his number retired. 

Lundqvist had 459 wins on the ice in 15 years on Broadway, the most in Rangers history, the most for any European-born goaltender and the sixth-most in the NHL. He won 30 or more games 11 times in his career and only had two seasons without at least 20 wins, the final two seasons of his career when he was passing the torch to Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin, the team's current Vezina-caliber goalie. 

For an elite athlete like Lundqvist was, television provides a comparative competitive kick to playing. 

There are wins and losses in every broadcast, but they're more subjective. It isn't a number on a scoreboard; it's the end of the show when the stage manager signals that the show is off the air. You know whether that broadcast was a win or a loss. The talent knows when a script was out of place, and the producer knows when there were tech issues. 

There is little room for error and so much that goes on behind the scenes that the viewers will never see.

"There was one night in particular, he didn't like his performance," Valiquette said. "And I assured him the next day that what he thought was bad in his mind, you couldn't see it on on the screen." 

This is why so many athletes gravitate to media jobs after wrapping up their playing careers. The adrenaline rush feels similar. It's easy and fun to talk about a sport they've spent their life playing, and it's a way to satisfy the drive and determination of a high-level athlete that doesn't just go away after the skates have been hung up.

Lundqvist's decision to stop playing wasn't so much his own. He signed a contract with the Washington Capitals for the pandemic-shortened 2021 season after the Rangers bought out the remainder of his contract. But a heart condition that required surgery kept him out of action in Washington and eventually forced him to retire. 

It was almost fitting in that it allowed him to retire a Ranger. 

"I still loved the game and really enjoyed going to the rink," Lundqvist said Friday before his number raised to the rafters. "But in the end, the heart said no. I look back at it and kind of laugh at how much I struggled to try to go somewhere else. But all along I knew this was the place and I'm really proud that I played my entire career in New York City with the New York Rangers. 

A desire to stay involved with the Rangers and their fans led him to the MSG studios. The Swede's family still calls New York home, and his kids are in school there. He turned his desire to play into a desire to help fans understand what goes through a goalie's head or a skater's head in certain situations. 

"I had a great meeting with (James) Dolan this fall when I came back from Sweden. We sat down and talked about what's next. I told him I want to stay connected and let's start with MSG Networks," Lundqvist said. "I really enjoy working there with Steve and John and the crew they have there. It's been awesome."

Lundqvist the goalie approaches his new job the same way he approached his old one. 

"He's not up there just winging it. He prepares because that's in his DNA. That's who he is," Valiquette said. "He wants to be prepared. He wants to have a great show. And I know because the next day he is asking me about what I thought. That's Henrik. That's why he's been really good on multiple platforms." 

The learning curve hasn't been steep, but adjustments are always being made as someone learns a new role.

Lundqvist has an obvious camera presence, and his passion for the game shows through when he's breaking down plays on the ice. There have been a few instances where he's been a little too passionate, unable to concisely wrap up his thoughts before a commercial break. 

That's where working with veterans like Valiquette and Giannone is beneficial. Giannone has an innate sense of timing and can effortlessly segue when the crosstalk goes on too long. Valiquette, who founded Clear Sight Analytics, can use his analytical background to add to Lundqvist's insight. They all have their roles and they can all play off one another, with Giannone guiding it all.  

"Not everybody would know all of the small mistakes that he cleans up," Valiquette said. "Whether I'm going too long, Henrik does something, there might be something on the switchboard that doesn't come clean. John is always tap-dancing through these things. At the same time he's ad-reading something that maybe he's got to tighten up and change the wording just to shorten it to fit it in. Those are, those are all the juggling mechanisms behind the curtain." 

The broadcast booth also allows athletes to showcase their personalities, something fans don't get to see much of during their playing years. We've seen Lundqvist playing the guitar during the intermission of an NHL on TNT broadcast. He's displayed that infamous sense of style with an array of dapper suits and a sense of humor.

It's the man behind the mask. 

"I know both Vally and John really well and I think that’s a part of the excitement as well," Lundqvist said. "I want to surround myself with people that I can have fun with."

While live TV might have some familiar elements for Lundqvist, there are others that can't be replicated. The bus rides, the team dinners and the sense of accomplishment a team collectively feels when they go deep into the postseason are all things he's had to leave behind. There was some nostalgia in a one-on-one interview with Valiquette, which will air at 5:30 p.m. ET on MSG Network to kick off the network's pregame ceremony coverage, especially when it came to the 2014 Eastern Conference championship team. 

"Looking back at everything you went through together and the memories together, it’s so much fun. And it’s bittersweet," Lundqvist said. "It was such a cool moment. It’s just that feeling on the ice when it happens and you share it with all the guys. You work together for so long to get to that point; it’s such a good feeling. And you just enjoy that rush. And I think that’s something that’s going to be hard to replace, and I’m just happy I got to experience it." 

Friday night, the only club that Lundqvist ever played for and its fans will give the former netminder a celebration for a king. But while it might mark the storied end of one career, his second act on Broadway and beyond has only just started. 

"I think for the longest time, my focus was on performing and achieving different things," Lundqvist said. "I think my biggest focus right now is to be happy, feel good and be inspired." 

The New York Rangers have become the first NHL team to receive a $2 billion valuation by Forbes.

Mike Ozanian of Forbes reported Wednesday that the Rangers top the magazine's annual list of NHL team values, which saw the league average jump from $653 million to $865 million over the past year—a 32 percent increase despite the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here's a look at the top 10 teams on the Forbes list for the 2021-22 season:

1. New York Rangers ($2 billion)

2. Toronto Maple Leafs ($1.8 billion)

3. Montreal Canadiens ($1.6 billion)

4. Chicago Blackhawks ($1.4 billion)

5. Boston Bruins ($1.3 billion)

6. Philadelphia Flyers ($1.2 billion)

7. Edmonton Oilers ($1.1 billion)

8. Los Angeles Kings ($1.025 billion)

9. Detroit Red Wings ($990 million)

10. New York Islanders ($950 million)

The increase in average team values comes from a significantly larger television deal in the United States ($625 million annually from ESPN and Turner, compared to $300 million from NBC), revenue from new arenas around the league and sponsorship income that's reached $676 million with even more deals expected as jersey patches arrive for the 2022-23 season, per Ozanian.

No NHL team saw a decrease in its value over the past year, and the Edmonton Oilers saw the biggest increase by doubling their valuation to $1.1 billion, according to Forbes.

The Seattle Kraken paid a $650 million expansion fee to enter the league this season and they are already in the green, being valued at $875 million, 13th in the 32-team NHL.

All of the impressive valuations come despite concerns about lackluster attendance figures.

In November, Sean Shapiro of The Athletic reported only two of the league's teams were drawing crowd sizes equal to or above the numbers they posted before the 2019-20 season was paused amid the coronavirus pandemic.

An NHL team president told Shapiro they also saw season-ticket holders opt for smaller ticket packages since they weren't able to resell as many games on secondary markets.

"They know what we know: they can't sell those tickets anymore on the secondary market, there isn't the demand anymore," the executive said. "So they don't want to be left on the hook for tickets they aren't going to use. In the long run, I think the full-season ticket holder will be a thing of the past, partially because of COVID."

While ticket sales are down, everything else is trending in a positive direction for the NHL. That's why Forbes projects all hockey-related revenue, which dipped to $2.9 billion in 2020-21, to reach $6 billion by the 2025-26 campaign.

Meanwhile, the Rangers are living up to their value with the league's best points percentage (.771) so far this season thanks to a 17-4-3 record.

American Thanksgiving has passed, which means hockey fans are free to look at the standings.

The holiday serves as a benchmark that signals the unofficial start of playoff races. With two months of play complete and teams hitting the 20-game mark, we have an idea of team identities, strengths and areas that will be targeted as we approach the March 21 trade deadline.

We can start to determine which teams have chances and which teams do not.

But that isn't easy in the Metropolitan Division. The last-place team, the New York Islanders, was a game away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season. Metro teams hold the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and two others are within four points. The Washington Capitals lead the NHL with 33 points, and the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers sit right behind them. It is an incredibly tight division.

No offense to the Atlantic Division, but if the Boston Bruins have any shot of making the playoffs, they will likely need to bump the Florida Panthers, the Toronto Maple Leafs or the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning out of a playoff spot in their division. The Bruins could still bring back free-agent goalie Tuukka Rask and make a run, but with so many good teams in the Metro Division, it's an uphill battle for everyone in the Eastern Conference. 

Each team in this division started the season with playoff hopes, except for maybe the Columbus Blue Jackets. But Columbus has improved quickly, which has made for a crowded division. It's difficult to handicap this race because so much of the season is left and things like injuries will factor into performances, so we'll look at each team and determine whether its playoff hopes are legitimate or not.

The teams at the top

Let's start with the three best. Carolina, Washington and the Rangers are pulling away from the rest of the division.

Alexander Ovechkin looks ageless with 19 goals. The captain netted a hat trick Friday against the Panthers, and while that might be standard for Ovi, it's not every day you see a 36-year-old score at that pace.

He's putting up 1.68 points per game, which ranks third in the NHL, and has recaptured some magic with Evgeny Kuznetsov. A reinvigorated Kuznetsov is important—for himself, considering the Caps looked into offloading him over the summer, but especially for the depleted lineup.

T.J. Oshie is out with a foot injury, Anthony Mantha is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, Lars Eller has been in COVID-19 protocol since Nov. 16, Nicklas Backstrom started the season on injured reserve after offseason hip surgery, and Conor Sheary and Justin Schultz are both day-to-day.

The subplot is Ovechkin's chase to match Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record. He needs 145 to match the Great One's record of 894 goals, and with the way he's playing, he could knock off 30 more this season.

Carolina is one of the best possession teams in the league in 5-on-5. This has been the Hurricanes' calling card for a few years. It's a straightforward approach: Shoot the puck. A lot. The best defense in today's NHL is offense.

Buoyed by elite shooters like Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho, Carolina started the season winning nine straight. A plus-23 goal differential suggests these numbers are sustainable, and this has been an elite team for years.

Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta might not be an elite goaltending tandem, but Andersen is having a bounce-back season. Until he slips, the doubters can remain quiet. 

The Rangers have been among the worst teams in the league at 5-on-5. Per NaturalStatTrick.com, their 45.19 Corsi percentage is the lowest in the NHL. The bulk of their offense has come from Chris Kreider (15 goals). Only 37 of the team's 59 goals have been scored at even strength. But they're defending well and have had elite goaltending from Igor Shesterkin. 

The Rangers have made it known they would like to take the next step in their rebuild and make the playoffs. This could be the year, and it should with the high-end talent they possess, but they might be on the bubble with other teams on their heels.

The teams in the middle

A cluster of teams is within a few points of one another. The Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins each have 24 points. The New Jersey Devils have 22, and the Philadelphia Flyers have 20. The Blue Jackets and Devils are on the upswing, and the Flyers and Penguins appear to be hanging on, trying to stave off rebuilds. 

The Penguins are sticking around in the standings because of goalie Tristan Jarry. Last year, some blamed Jarry for Pittsburgh's lack of success. The club cleared the path for Jarry by parting ways with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray, and many wondered if that was the right move, especially as Fleury played Vezina-caliber hockey in Las Vegas. 

Some of the criticism was valid, but Jarry is proving to be the No. 1 goalie the club envisioned he would be. 

After shutting out the Islanders on Friday, Jarry's .936 save percentage is tied for third in the league, and his mark of 9.63 goals saved above average is the third-best. His performance has been crucial considering the Penguins went without Sidney Crosby to start the season and Evgeni Malkin is still on IR. 

The Devils and the Blue Jackets have a road map in place. They know where they want to go, and they're attempting to get there through talent development. New Jersey is seeing good results as players like Dawson Mercer and Yegor Sharangovich play big roles. When the Devils finally get Jack Hughes healthy again, they could be dangerous. 

But the Flyers are in a tough spot. They have lost six straight, and the season appears to be falling apart. The lack of roster depth has been exposed as injuries to key players like Ryan Ellis have piled up. Philadelphia is in a precarious spot and may need to blow it up and start trying to retain assets. It's right up against the salary cap, so it's tough for general manager Chuck Fletcher to make any moves that might improve the team in the short term.

The one good thing the Flyers have going for them is their draft capital. They have all but one pick each of the next two years. It's time for them to get younger, and they can do that with high picks and prospects. It might not be a palatable move, but Claude Giroux is in the final year of his contract, so trading the captain at the deadline might be a painful but necessary move.

The Islanders

What to make of the Islanders? Many (myself included) picked them to win the division. The team seemed poised for another long playoff run. A new arena. A top coach. This was supposed to be the year it came together.

It still could be. We know the Islanders are capable of reeling off five, six, seven or even eight wins at a time. Instead, they've lost eight straight. They're 5-10-2 with only 12 points.

How can a Stanley Cup contender be this bad?

You could start with COVID-19. The Isles have eight players in COVID protocol, and their next two games are postponed. The league was late on postponing games, forcing them to play with as many as seven players in protocol.

Plus, they're without defenseman Ryan Pulock because of injury, and Brock Nelson is hurt too. 

It's still early, but is it getting late early for the Islanders? This team has proved doubters wrong many times in the past. Barry Trotz and his system are never really out of the game. But with the division this competitive, one of the Eastern Conference favorites could be left out this spring.

New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin explained to reporters why he threw his glove at Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand with 12 seconds left in the Blueshirts' 5-2 road win over the B's on Friday.

"I didn't really understand what he said in the moment because we had a little conversation with bad energy," Panarin said Saturday.

"Then I hear something about Russia in that moment, and then with that energy, that can't be something good about Russia. So, that's why I lose my mind and then I did what I did."

Panarin was born and raised in Korkino, located in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano of Lohud.com explained the situation further:

A person close to the situation told lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Marchand touched a nerve with Panarin by evoking unfounded assault allegations made against him by former KHL coach Andrei Nazarov in February. He was accused of beating a young woman in 2011, but the accusations have been widely dispelled and were believed to be politically motivated.

Panarin took a nine-game leave of absence to ensure the safety of his remaining family in Russia, which has made it a delicate subject. During training camp in September, he reiterated his preference not to discuss it.

The person said that Marchand brought up Russian president Vladimir Putin, whom Panarin has been openly critical of in the past, and taunted Panarin by saying, 'Nobody in your country likes you.'

The NHL announced that Panarin was fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct following the throw:

Panarin was clearly disturbed by Marchand's alleged comments and provided more remarks.

"I just can't control myself after those words," Panarin said. "It's important to think that I didn't start it. I didn't say good things about him, too, but I think when you touch country, it's different. Probably all Russians would want to defend their country."

Panarin also had some words regarding Marchand, who was not fined but received a matching misconduct penalty along with the 30-year-old Ranger.

"I don't like him for a long time," Panarin said. "A lot of people don't like him."

Panarin is in the third year of a seven-season, $81.5 million contract, so a $5,000 fine won't be too painful to pay up.

Plus, the Rangers are dominating with a 13-4-3 record through 20 games, including a three-game win streak. Panarin has five goals and 16 assists for 21 points.

So all is well for Panarin and the Rangers right now as they await the Philadelphia Flyers' arrival to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET for their next matchup.

The Ottawa Senators' next three games have been postponed amid a COVID-19 outbreak with the team.

Games against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the Nashville Predators on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday are impacted. The Senators currently have 10 players in the NHL's health and safety protocols.

“You’re almost crossing your fingers every single day hoping that you get through with a negative (test),” veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto told reporters. “It is a learning experience, with the different tests we’re doing, and trying to keep everyone safe, not just the players but their families and staff as well. It’s a great opportunity for guys to learn the mental side of the game.”

The Senators have essentially been on lockdown between games, with their players unable to practice or leave their homes. The team has understandably struggled under the mounting pressure and has lost seven of its last eight games overall.

With the Senators (4-10-1, last in the Atlantic Division) struggling to field an NHL-caliber team and the AHL Belleville Senators also barely scraping by because all of the call-ups, the NHL was forced to take some action. This temporary pause in the schedule should allow a majority of the players currently in health and safety protocols to get back on the ice while mitigating any further potential spread. 

The New York Rangers are rewarding star defenseman Adam Fox with a seven-year contract extension, the team announced Monday.

Fox, the reigning Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's best defenseman, will reportedly receive an average annual value of $9.5 million, according to Rangers beat reporter Vince Z. Mercogliano.

Fox is the only player besides NHL legend Bobby Orr to win the Norris Trophy before his third season. He led New York with 42 assists last season and added five goals to rank fifth with 47 points.

Fox has picked up where he left off this season, leading the Rangers with nine points (two goals, seven assists) through the team's first nine games of the year. He scored the go-ahead goal in Sunday's 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken as New York improved to 6-2-1.

A 23-year-old native of Jericho, New York, Fox was selected 66th overall in the 2016 NHL entry draft by the Calgary Flames. He opted to attend college at Harvard University, and his rights were traded to the Carolina Hurricanes before the Rangers acquired him in April 2019.

Fox left college a year early and made his Rangers debut in the 2019 season. He made an immediate impact, tying for second among all NHL rookie defensemen in goals and ranking third in assists and points.

The Rangers locking up Fox with a deal is the latest move to retain one of their big stars. Their 28-year-old center, Mika Zibanejad, was signed to an eight-year, $68 million contract extension prior to the start of this season.

New York has failed to qualify for the playoffs in three of the last four seasons and hopes to change that by keeping players like Fox long-term.