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Quote: Getting A Backup For Henrik

by Adam Rotter on April 14th, 2010 at 10:10 am

(VIDEO OF JOHN TORTORELLA AND RANGERS PLAYERS DURING BREAK UP DAY IS IN THE VIDEO PLAYER AT RIGHT)

When the Rangers started the season, Steve Valiquette was supposed to be around 20 games for the Rangers so the team could take some of the load off of Henrik Lundqvist, especially in an Olympic year.

Valley struggled and was sent down to Hartford. Chad Johnson and Matt Zaba alternated as backup for Lundqvist while also doubling as the starter for the Hartford Wolfpack. Both young and not ready, the Rangers brought in Alex Auld off of waivers to backup Lundqvist.

Auld started one game and entered another after being claimed from Dallas.

While speaking with reporters yesterday, John Tortorella told Steve Zipay that the plan is to get a veteran backup for Lundqvist:

“Hank had a really good year. I still want to get Hank to 60-65 games. I know as an organization we’re desperately trying to get a veteran guy to play 20, 22, 23 games, whatever it may be. I know Hank wants to play every game; if we get a legitimate guy here, he’s not. There are some other guys out there. Benny and Schoney and I have gone through the list, it needs to be a legitimate veteran guy that can handle that workload.”

...So I guess they aren’t sold on Auld. Patrick Lalime and Johan Hedberg are expected to be free agents. Hedberg would be great just for the fact that the Rangers wouldn’t have to play them. Other notables expected to be free agents are, Antero Niittymaki from Tampa and formerly of the Flyers, Joey McDonald, Curtis Sanford. Marty Biron from the Isles too could be an interesting option, but he will probably look to start somewhere. His salary is also a little high for the Rangers to make him a backup at $1.4 million.