Henrik Lundqvist's Rangers Contract Bought Out After 15 Seasons with Team

Goalie Henrik Lundqvist's 15-season run with the New York Rangers has officially come to an end.

The Rangers announced Wednesday they have bought out the last year of the five-time All-Star's contract.

Lundqvist tweeted a goodbye message to the Rangers organization and fans:   

Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported Tuesday that the Rangers and Lundqvist were working together on the buyout of the final season of his seven-year deal.

Brooks noted the Rangers will save $3 million against the 2020-21 salary cap with the move.

It seemed apparent this season that Lundqvist's time in New York was nearing an end. The 38-year-old only started seven of the team's final 34 games. Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shestyorkin split starting duties in the other 27 games.

Lundqvist was a seventh-round draft pick (No. 205 overall) by the Rangers in 2000. He became their primary starting goalie as a rookie in 2005-06 and went on to set franchise records for career wins (459), shutouts (64) and playoff wins (61).

In 2011-12, Lundqvist joined John Vanbiesbrouck (1985-86), Eddie Giacomin and Gilles Villemure (co-winners in 1970-71) and David Kerr (1939-40) as the only Rangers goalies to win the Vezina Trophy.