Tag: Henrik Lundqvist

The 11 best moments in Henrik Lundqvist’s illustrious 15-year NHL career

Henrik Lundqvist’s NHL career has been one hell of a ride.

For the first time in a very, very long time, hockey fans will be without the steady presence of Henrik Lundqvist on a NHL roster. Sure, Lundqvist’s last season was in 2019-20 thanks to a heart condition that kept him from playing last year, but there was still a hope he’d return to play in future seasons.

Now, after Lundqvist’s retirement on Friday, we’ve seen the last of one of the greatest goaltenders of all time on NHL ice. Though Lundqvist never won a Stanley Cup, the netminder had a stellar NHL career, sitting sixth all-time in the league with 459 wins, all with the New York Rangers to boot.

In honor of Lundqvist’s 15-year NHL career coming to an end, we thought it only appropriate to list out some of his best moments on and off the ice during his time with the Rangers.

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Henrik Lundqvist has retired from the NHL and the hockey world gave him a send-off to remember

All hail Henrik Lundqvist.

Henrik Lundqvist has officially hung up his skates, as the long-time goaltender has retired from the NHL. The news isn’t surprising, given Lundqvist’s health concerns that caused him to miss the entire 2020-21 NHL season, but it’s still a bittersweet moment for hockey fans across the globe.

Lundqvist began his 15-year NHL career back in the 2005-06 season after being drafted by the New York Rangers in the seventh round at 205th overall in 2000. Though Lundqvist did not win a Stanley Cup in his NHL career, he ends his time in professional hockey with 459 wins, a .918 save percentage, and one Vezina trophy to his name.

On the ice, Lundqvist played all 15 NHL seasons with the Rangers, though he signed with the Washington Capitals in the 2020 free agency period. Lundqvist was set to play this past season for the Capitals, but a heart condition held him back.

After Lundqvist’s announcement, support from hockey fans, players, and more flooded in on social media to give King Henrik the send-off he deserved.

Even without a Stanley Cup, Henrik Lundqvist retires as one of the NHL’s all-time great goalies

It’s not about that with the King.

Steady.

That’s the word that keeps coming to mind with Henrik Lundqvist, the NHL goaltender who announced his retirement on Friday.

From the moment the King stepped on to the ice in 2005-06, some five years after the New York Rangers took him with a seventh-rounder in the 2000 NHL draft, Lundqvist was as steady as they came in net for his entire career.

He topped 30 wins every year of his 15-season career in all but three seasons, and I’m not counting the lockout-shortened 2012-13 year in which he led the league in victories with 24. He led the league in shutouts twice. He won one Vezina Trophy in 2011-12. His .918 save percentage is currently 10th all time.

Whenever he was in net, you didn’t worry about him. It was more about what the Rangers could do in the other facets of the game. Sometimes, it was too much on Lundqvist, and there he was, stopping pucks left and right.

But we all know some of the talk will focus on the lack of a Stanley Cup when others on the all-time wins list — he’s sixth, with names like Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Marc-Andre Fleury and Ed Belfour ahead of him — have their names etched.

Ignore that. From a pure skill perspective and that consistency I keep coming back to, he’s among the all-time great names at goalie, perhaps not in the top tier with Roy, Brodeur and Dominik Hasek. But let’s not underrate him just because of the lack of a ring. Consistency in a goaltender is a near-impossible thing.

And let’s not forget the gold medal for Sweden in Turin back in 2006, with Lundqvist just masterful during the whole tournament.

It’s just awful the way his career ended, with a heart condition preventing him from ever suiting up with the Washington Capitals (side note: As a Rangers fan for life, that would have been hard for me to see).

The hope is the Rangers immediately retire his iconic No. 30 to the Madison Square Garden rafters on opening night later this year and play a highlight reel that will include save after save after save.

Because that — and his charming personality, both with fans and reporters, one that never seemed to waiver even in tougher times in New York — is what we’ll remember.

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Henrik Lundqvist’s NHL comeback hopes for season dashed due to heart inflammation

Here’s hoping Lundqvist continues to recover as safely as possible.

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.

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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Henrik Lundqvist gets heartwarming welcome home from family after hospital stay

Finally, some good hockey news.

Finally, some good hockey news!

After a lengthy hospital stay following open heart surgery, former New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist is back home with his family. The NHL legend posted a few sweet shots of his homecoming to social media on Friday morning, showing his wife, kids and the adorable welcome home signs that they made.

“Left the hospital yesterday. I’ve spend a lot of days away from my kids over the last 5-8 years because of hockey. The last 9 days felt way different. It literally warmed my heart pulling up to the driveway,” Lundqvist wrote.

Lundqvist himself looks to be in good shape too!

The signs, as expected, are utterly charming, complete with misspellings, backward letters, and an abundance of hearts.

His kids have a future in art, if you ask me.

Right after Christmas, Lundqvist shared that he would be undergoing an aortic valve replacement, aortic root and ascending aortic replacement.

Lundqvist announced in mid-December he would be sitting out the 2021 NHL season due to a heart condition. Lundqvist signed a one year deal with the Washington Capitals in October.

In a follow up tweet, Lundqvist said he’ll remain in Cleveland for a few more days before heading home to New York. https://twitter.com/hlundqvist35/status/1350093881560485889

NHL fans react to shocking news Henrik Lundqvist will miss 2021 season due to heart condition

Prayers up.

Henrik Lundqvist will not be in net for the Washington Capitals when the 2021 NHL season kicks off. The Vezina Trophy winning goalie announced via social media Thursday afternoon that he was withdrawing from the season due to a heart condition.

In the statement, Lundqvist said that at after conversations with his doctors, the risks of him playing this season were simply too high.

It breaks my heart (literally) to share this news: I will not be joining the Capitals this upcoming season. After many weeks of tests and conversations with specialists around the country, it’s been determined that a heart condition will prevent me from taking the ice,” he wrote.

After 15 seasons with the New York Rangers, Lundqvist signed a one year deal with the Capitals in October.

Lundqvist also recorded a heartfelt message for Capitals fans.

NHL fans reacted to this sad and shocking news.

Washington Capitals at New York Rangers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Washington Capitals at New York Rangers sports betting odds, picks and best bets

The Washington Capitals (40-20-6) take on the New York Rangers (35-27-4) at Madison Square Garden on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Capitals-Rangers sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Capitals at Rangers: Projected starting goalies

Ilya Samsonov vs. Henrik Lundqvist

The rookie Samsonov is confirmed to start at Madison Square Garden, putting his 16-6-1 records, 2.40 goals against average and .917 save percentage on the line. This will be his first career matchup against the Blueshirts.

King Henrik is projected to make the start after Alexandar Georgiev made the start last time out. Lundqvist is 10-12-3 with a 3.19 GAA and .904 SV% across his 26 starts and 29 appearances. He is 1-1-0 with a 2.54 GAA And .922 SV% in his two assignments against the Caps this season.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Capitals at Rangers: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Capitals 3, Rangers 2

Moneyline (ML)

The CAPITALS (-143) are a solid play on the road against the Rangers (+120), even though they just played yesterday. Plus, the Caps are 6-2 in their past eight games in the second end of a back-to-back situation. The Rangers have been hot, going 9-4 in the past 13, but they’re also 7-19 in the past 26 against teams with a winning percentage over .600.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Caps to grab the road win returns a profit of $7.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The puck line isn’t a great play, even though the Capitals (-1.5, +170) are awfully tempting at this price. If you were to play a small-unit bet, the Caps are definitely the way to go as opposed to the Rangers (+1.5, -209). The best play is to AVOID.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 6.5 (-154) is a slam-dunk play even though the Caps games have been going Over the projected total recently. The Over is 4-1 in Washington’s past five, although the Under is 5-1 in their past six on the road. The Under is also 5-1 in the past six at MSG for the Rangers. The Under is also 5-1-1 in the past seven meetings in New York.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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San Jose Sharks at New York Rangers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s San Jose Sharks at New York Rangers sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The New York Rangers (32-24-4) host the San Jose Sharks (26-30-4) Saturday at Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Sharks-Rangers sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Sharks at Rangers: Projected starting goalies

Aaron Dell vs. Henrik Lundqvist

Dell is 12-12-2 with a 2.89 goals against average and .909 save percentage overall. Dell has won three of his past five starts, and eight of his past 14. He has struggled a bit lately, coughing up 12 goals in his previous three starts, and he has dropped each of his past two outings against Eastern Conference teams.

King Henrik is expected to make the start after rookie Igor Shesterkin picked up a 5-2 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night. Lundqvist has been much better at home, going 8-4-1 with a 2.93 GAA and .9167 SV%, while he is 2-7-2 with a 3.32 GAA and .897 SV% on the road. He has struggled against Western Conference teams, going 3-7-1 in his 11 starts and 13 appearances.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Sharks at Rangers: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Rangers 4, Sharks 2

Moneyline (ML)

The RANGERS (-167) pulled off the 5-2 road win in Carolina, cashing as +155 underdogs. Now, they have a quick turnaround, traveling from snowy Raleigh to New York to battle the Sharks (+135).

San Jose has dropped two straight games, including its first game on the Metro NYC road trip in New Jersey, 2-1, Thursday. The Sharks are starting to sell off assets heading into Monday’s trade deadline, as D Brenden Dillon has already been jettisoned. Expect more to follow. Morale is at a low for the Sharks, and the Rangers will squash them at MSG.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rangers to win returns a profit of $6, while a $10 wager on the Sharks results in a profit of $13.50.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The RANGERS (-1.5, +155) are worth a roll of the dice on home ice behind King Henrik. New York is on a roll, and the Rangers are 6-2 in the past eight in the second end of a back-to-back situation, while cashing in four of the past five following a straight-up win.

Over/Under (O/U)

The lean is to the UNDER 6.5 (-150), even though the juice is a little high for my liking. If you foresee a lower-scoring game, the UNDER 5.5 (+140) alternative line might be attractive to you. I don’t think this will be a defensive slog, however, and a total of six goals looks good. In fact, a total of six goals (regular time) would cash +375 if my prediction of six total goals connects.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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New York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Rangers at Hurricanes NHL matchup, with NHL betting odds, picks and best bets

The New York Rangers (31-24-4) head south to meet the Carolina Hurricanes (34-21-4) Friday at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Rangers-Hurricanes sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Rangers at Hurricanes: Projected starting goalies

Henrik Lundqvist vs. James Reimer

The Rangers’ three-headed goaltender logjam is likely to be busted up in the coming days with the NHL trade deadline. It’s hard to believe King Henrik could be moved, but you never know. Lundqvist is 10-11-3 with a 3.12 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. He has been a thorn in the side of Carolina all season, going 3-0-0 with a 2.33 GAA and .947 SV% against the Hurricanes. That includes an impressive 45-save performance in the second game of a back-to-back in this very building.

With Petr Mrazek going 0-2-0 with a 3.10 GAA and .860 SV% in his two starts against the Rangers, it’s fair to expect head coach Rod Brind’Amour to see what Reimer can do against the Blueshirts. Reimer is 4-2-2 with a 2.56 GAA and .914 SV% in eight starts at home.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Rangers at Hurricanes: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Friday at 12:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Rangers 3, Hurricanes 2

Moneyline (ML)

The RANGERS (+135) have been kryptonite to the Hurricanes (-162), and New York is the value play on the road in snowy Raleigh (no, really!). The Rangers have won six straight overall on the road, and they’re 40-14 in the past 54 meetings overall in this series — including 4-1 in the past five trips to North Carolina.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rangers to win returns a profit of $13.50, while a $10 wager on the Hurricanes results in a profit of $6.17.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Rangers (+1.5, -189) aren’t worth this kind of juice if you feel the need for insurance. Just roll with the Blueshirts on the moneyline. If you are on the Hurricanes (-1.5, +155), feeling they’ll avoid the four-game regular-season sweep at the hands of the Rangers, they’re a much better value here.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 5.5 (+125) is where it’s at, cashing in four of the past five meetings in this series. The under is also 5-2 in the past seven overall for the Rangers, while going 7-1-1 in the past nine against Eastern Conference foes. While the over is 7-2 in Carolina’s past nine overall, and 4-0 in the past four at home, look for the under to cash in Raleigh based on Rangers and series trends.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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