Two veteran Rangers shared different outlooks during Monday’s end-of-year media availability.
Ryan Clowe, acquired at the deadline from San Jose, said he’d “love” to be back with the Rangers after appearing in just 12 regular-season and two playoff games with a suspected concussion.
“I loved it here,” Clowe told NHL.com. “I loved the guys. It’s a first-class organization and it was just special putting on a Rangers jersey.
“I really felt that way and I’d love to come back.”
Clowe, 30, is in the final year of a four-year, $14.5 million deal signed with San Jose in 2009.
This season proved to be one of the toughest of his career -- lowlighted by going scoreless in 28 games with the Sharks -- but he did find a spark upon joining New York, scoring eight points in the 12 games played.
As for another veteran Ranger -- goalie Henrik Lundqvist -- he was non-committal about signing an extension in New York past 2013-14, when his current deal is set to expire.
“I’m gonna talk to my agent, and we’ll see,” Lundqvist told the New York Daily News when asked about signing an extension. “You know, I had such a great time here in New York. From day one they treated me really well and have given me an opportunity to play a lot of hockey. It’s been a lot of fun. I have one more year on the contract.
“I’m just focused on – well, right now, I’m trying to get over this year – but we’ll see. I’ll talk to my agent and take it from there.”
Lundqvist, 31, has one year left on the six-year, $41.25 million deal signed with the Rangers in 2008.
He won the team’s MVP award in seven consecutive seasons -- including 2013 -- and was nominated for the Vezina this year after winning it in 2011-12.