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Henrik Lundqvist is realistic about the Rangers chances this season

New York Rangers v Philadelphia Flyers

of the New York Rangers of the Philadelphia Flyers on April 11, 2010 at Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jim McIsaac

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist can almost always be best described as being the main reason the Rangers stay in any kind of contention each season. He’s one of the league’s best goalies and he’s also the guy who ends up suffering the most at the hands of the inconsistent Rangers offense. He’s become a bit of a rock star in New York City for his incredible play and hit with the ladies of Manhattan for his impeccable taste in fashion.

One thing that may help him either earn the respect of the Rangers faithful or cause him some trouble is his sense of realism when it comes to his team. While Lundqvist and a handful of other NHL players get some pre-pre-season training in in Sweden, Lundqvist spoke with Swedish website HockeyExpressen.se about playing a little bit at home as well as what he thought about the Rangers prospects for the upcoming season were. For Henrik, he thinks this season could be a little bit tricky (translated site). Wonky Google translation straight ahead!

“The challenge is to try to be about winning in New York, it would be incredibly fun. I feel absolutely no craving to change clubs,” he says.

“Sure, it has been heavy in recent years and we have not gone so far in the playoffs. But we hope to be involved in the turns. Last year, the Rangers fought to the end of the playoff spot. It will not get any difference in years,” says Henrik Lundqvist.

“I think we will lose some top teams. There will be war at the line just like last.”

I really should just start learning basic Swedish because web translators just do not cut it. To sum it up better, Lundqvist realizes that the Rangers are going to be fighting for a playoff spot this year and why not? Last year they were a shootout win away from being the eighth seed. Meanwhile, other teams in the Eastern Conference that missed out on the playoffs have improved (Atlanta, Tampa Bay) while those that did make the playoffs at least stayed the same. No one is really going to drop off without notice and the Rangers have to be careful or else they’ll find themselves in a bad way.

Of course, Lundqvist’s play guarantees that they’ll at least be close to making the playoffs no matter what. Whether or not the additions of Alexander Frolov, Steve Eminger, Todd White, and Derek Boogaard can help the Rangers get those extra points needed to crack the East’s top eight remains to be seen, but at the very least Lundqvist isn’t fooling himself into thinking the Rangers are an instant Cup contender. Whether or not the fans approve of that is something else entirely.

(Photo: Jim McIsaac - Getty Images)