Henrik Lundqvist won’t be making his NHL comeback any time soon. On Sunday, the former New York Rangers goaltender — and current member of the Washington Capitals — announced on Twitter that his NHL comeback is still a ways away after dealing with complications from heart surgery.
In December, Lundqvist announced he was stepping back from hockey to have open heart surgery due to a medical condition. The 39-year-old goaltender played 15 years with the Rangers before being scooped up by the Capitals last year in free agency.
While there was a delay in his debut with the Capitals, there was hope that Lundqvist would be able to make a comeback later this season, as he was able to hit the ice on February 23, nearly two months after open heart surgery.
Sadly, thanks to inflammation around his heart post-surgery, Lundqvist has had to set back his possible NHL return.
Last week’s checkup showed some inflammation around the heart that now requires a few months more of rest and steady recovery.
While it’s not what I hoped for, I know this is all part of the process of getting back to 100%.— Henrik Lundqvist (@hlundqvist35) April 11, 2021
Right after getting back on the ice after surgery, I made it my “stretch goal” to join @Capitals for the end of the season. Training has been going really well and I’ve been feeling good – but my heart isn’t quite ready.
— Henrik Lundqvist (@hlundqvist35) April 11, 2021
It’s great to see Lundqvist prioritize his health with such a serious condition, but it is hard not to think that we’ve seen the last of him on NHL ice. Heart conditions are no joke, and if Lundqvist has to end his NHL career at nearly 40-years-old because of it, it’s for the betterment of his health.
It would, however, be incredibly sad if hockey fans weren’t able to give Lundqvist the send off into retirement that he deserves. Here’s hoping Lundqvist’s situation improves enough in the future to get him back out on NHL ice in front of fans one last time.
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