NHL Predictions: Why Henrik Lundqvist Is the Goalie to Watch This Season

If you asked most hockey fans who the heart of the New York Rangers is, many would answer Henrik Lundqvist. Hank has been the driving force for the Rangers' regular season success. He is adored by the fans and has established himself as one of the NHL’s elite goaltenders.

However, despite his elite status, Lundqvist has nothing to show for it thus far except for his Olympic gold medal. Year after year, Lundqvist has been forced to be “Superman” for the Rangers. It seems to always come down to Henrik, and eventually the pressure becomes too much for one man.

Poor offensive support and team depth have prevented Lundqvist and the Rangers from having postseason success. The most recent first-round exits against the Washington Capitals have been disparaging. 

Lundqvist had ingrained a mindset that he could not allow more than one or two goals each game. If he allowed more than that, he felt he was an absolute failure. Henrik clearly cares about this team and it is blatantly evident if you watch him during postgame interviews.

This season should be different for Lundqvist and the Rangers. It is my personal opinion that Henrik is the goalie to watch this season.

He has been predicted by E.J. Hradek of NHL.com to win the Vezina Trophy.

It seems that this award has eluded the All-Star Swedish netminder throughout his career up to this point. Lundqvist definitely had numbers worthy of being in the conversation in past years, but it seems that he never had that definitive breakout season.

In order to win the Vezina Trophy, Lundqvist will have to win around 38 to 44 games, post six or more shutouts and have a low goals-against average. If he posts these numbers, they will correlate with team success for the New York Rangers.

I firmly believe that this will be Henrik's shining season. Lundqvist's career high for wins in a season is 38. His career high for shutouts is 11. He accomplished this league-leading feat last year with the help of a very young and talented defense. Lundqvist has also had most of his recent success without a true No. 1 line.

Many have already made the misconception that with the arrival of superstar playmaking pivot Brad Richards, all focus has been shifted off the Swedish netminder. The way many fans see it, Richards is another important moving part in a very talented franchise. Richards brings experience and skill, but it doesn’t replace nor diminish the role that Henrik fills.

If anything, Richards will only help Lundqvist and the Rangers in their quest to attain playoff success. The Rangers last year were a marginal playoff team filled with rookies who plugged up holes caused by various injuries. 

This was evident as the Rangers couldn’t match up with the Washington Capitals' offensive fire power.

This season, the Rangers have a very balanced lineup from top to bottom. They finally have a bonafide top line with Brandon Dubinsky, Richards and Marian Gaborik. This line should carry the offensive load for the Rangers.

As you continue down the depth chart, the Rangers will ice a formidable second line with experienced veteran Ruslan Fedotenko, dynamic third-year center Artem Anisimov and Captain "Blue Blood" Ryan Callahan. 

The third line will contain a balance of youth, skill, speed and experience. Mike Rupp will play the left wing, Derek Stepan will pivot and Mats Zuccarello will complete the trio. Stepan had an exceptional rookie campaign with 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points. Rupp brings a rigid rough-and-tough grinding game to the line. Zuccarello will bring speed and a promising offensive skill set to the trio.

The fourth line, made up of Wojtek Wolski, Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust, completes a very balanced set of forwards. Boyle and Prust are players who bring energy, a steady forecheck and reasonable offensive ability. Wolski is a huge question mark as he was very inconsistent at times. Hopefully all his hard offseason training will pay off.

The Rangers defense appears to be a cause for concern right now. However, it is expected that Marc Staal will not miss significant time for the Rangers. Staal will pair with Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh will pair with Michael Sauer and Tim Erixon will pair with either Michael Del Zotto or Steve Eminger.

With this new balanced lineup that consists of speed, skill, offense, defense and solid two-way play, Henrik will have no excuses if he doesn't exceed he established career highs. Henrik is expected to play in 60-65 contests this season.

Martin Biron will back up Henrik once again this season. He is a solid backup with NHL experience and will be a very important player this season. If he can win 13 or more games in the limited starts he will make, Henrik will have some of the season's pressure alleviated.

Henrik has the potential to win 40-plus games this season. As noted earlier, Henrik has won as many as 38 in past seasons, so winning 40 or more is not a stretch by any means. He was given the moniker “Captain Shutout” last season after posting an NHL-leading 11 shutouts.

Henrik clearly is the most valuable player to the Rangers, and their success will be a result of his play in goal. Keep an eye on Henrik Lundqvist this season. If you have watched his on-ice brilliance in past seasons while supporting a glorified AHL team, imagine what he could do with a complete team.

Will this be the year that Lundqvist finally wins a Vezina? Could he have a Tim Thomas-like season and contend for the Hart Trophy as well?

These trophies are considered secondary to the prize that Lundqvist and the Rangers are after. They may not win the Stanley Cup this season, but with their organizational depth and new and improved roster, the Rangers have a legitimate shot to contend for the cup for the next four years. 

2011-12 New York Rangers Lineup

Brandon Dubinsky, Brad Richards(A), Marian Gaborik(A)
Ruslan Fedotenko, Artem Anisimov, Ryan Callahan(C)
Mike Rupp, Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello
Wojtek Wolski, Brian Boyle, Brandon Prust

Marc Staal, Dan Girardi
Ryan McDonagh, Michael Sauer
Michael Del Zotto, Steve Eminger (Tim Erixon)

Henrik Lundqvist
Martin Biron

The New York Rangers open up the season against the Los Angeles Kings live from Stockholm, Sweden. The game will air live on MSG network at 1:00 p.m. ET. Check your local listings for out-of-market coverage.

Tom Urtz is an NHL Featured Columnist. For more NHL free agent news, updates and alerts about players: