Before Alain Vigneault arrived to Philadelphia, his previous two gigs were in Vancouver and New York.
With the Canucks and Rangers, he knew what he had between the pipes.
Roberto Luongo in Vancouver and Henrik Lundqvist in New York.
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"I was very fortunate to have probably two Hall of Fame goaltenders," Vigneault said in April 2019, when he was introduced as Flyers head coach. "We have a young goaltender that's got tremendous amount of potential that might become one of the top goalies in the league, also."
The Flyers certainly hope they have a long and prosperous future building around 22-year-old Carter Hart. For the last 15 years, the Rangers built upon a trusted and durable foundation in net with Lundqvist, who Vigneault coached from 2013 to 2018.
After 887 games, 459 wins, 61 postseason victories, 64 shutouts, a 2.43 goals-against average and a run to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, the Lundqvist era on Broadway came to an end Wednesday. The Rangers bought out the final year of the 38-year-old's seven-year contract, making him an unrestricted free agent.
"Few players have been as important to the Rangers franchise as Henrik Lundqvist, and we are incredibly grateful for all he has done for our organization," MSG Sports executive chairman James L. Dolan said in a statement on the Rangers' official website. "Over his 15-year tenure, he not only established himself as one of the best goaltenders to ever play the game, he has also been one of hockey's fiercest competitors and most effective ambassadors. He will always be a part of the Rangers family."
Lundqvist, widely respected and known as the king in New York, ruled over the Flyers for many a night with the Rangers. They've had their battles and moments.
On the day that the Flyers learned they'll no longer have to run into him at Madison Square Garden, let's look at some Flyers-related Lundqvist numbers:
NHL
• Lundqvist is 35-19-5 with a 2.58 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and four shutouts over 61 career games against the Flyers. Martin Brodeur is the only goalie with more wins (50) against the Flyers, while Lundqvist has more wins against only one other NHL team: the Devils (38).
• In his 15 years with the Rangers, Lundqvist started 60 or more games nine times and 50 or more 12 times. Because of his crazy consistency and durability, New York had to utilize only 16 goalies (including Lundqvist) over the last 15 seasons. In Philly, where goalies have come down the conveyor belt, the Flyers have played 23 goaltenders over that span. A reminder (I'm sorry) that the Flyers used an NHL record eight netminders last season.
The Flyers have had one goalie start 60 or more games in a season over the last 15 years: Steve Mason in 2013-14.
They've had four goalies start 50 or more games in a season over the last 15 years: Martin Biron in 2007-08 (59) and 2008-09 (53), Sergei Bobrovsky in 2010-11 (52), Ilya Bryzgalov in 2011-12 (57) and Mason in 2013-14 (60), 2015-16 (53) and 2016-17 (54).
Lundqvist, of course, has simply been a rare breed over his career.
• When Lundqvist won his 2011-12 Vezina Trophy, Hart was 13 years old.