Dec 28: Lundqvist announced on Twitter that he will undergo open-heart surgery to try and fix his health issues. The procedure will include an aortic valve, aortic root, and ascending aortic replacement.
Dec 17: The Washington Capitals’ big offseason acquisition won’t actually get to play for them this season. Henrik Lundqvist announced in an emotional tweet that he will not be able to suit up for the Capitals due to a heart condition. The full letter to fans:
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. Together, we have decided that the risk of playing before remedying my condition is too high, so I will spend the coming months figuring out the best course of action.
For the past two months I’ve been so inspired by the opportunity to play in DC and committed to my game, spending every day at the rink to prepare for the upcoming season. The news was very difficult to process but after the last test result earlier this week we knew there was only one way to go from here.
I want to thank the entire Capitals organization for not only giving me this opportunity but also for their support throughout this challenging time. I will take the next few weeks to be with my family and I’ll be back to share the next steps.
This is such disappointing news for one of the great players of the last generation. Lundqvist, who will turn 39 in March, sits sixth on the all-time wins list with 459, every one of them recorded with the New York Rangers. That era came to an end when the veteran goaltender signed a one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Capitals in October to replace Braden Holtby as the new backup for phenom Ilya Samsonov.
Often considered among the greatest players to never win the Stanley Cup, Lundqvist finished at least sixth in Vezina Trophy voting in each of his first ten seasons, winning the award in 2012 when he posted a .930 save percentage in 62 games. While he hasn’t actually won the thing, Lundqvist’s playoff performances have been among legend, with a .921 through 130 postseason appearances. In Sweden, perhaps he is even better known for his international exploits, which include Olympic and World Championship gold and silver medals.
For those wondering how this affects the Capitals salary cap situation, the team’s best course of action would likely be to place Lundqvist on unconditional waivers and terminate the deal. Though 35-plus contracts usually count regardless of what happens, that is only in the case of multi-year agreements, which Lundqvist was obviously not. If his contract is terminated, it will come off the books completely.
Regardless, the focus now should be on Lundqvist’s health and future. Here’s hoping we haven’t seen the last of the King on an NHL ice surface.
Nice job by the Rangers not to give him an exit physical before buying him out. The self proclaimed “king” can sit home and stare at his Patrick Division banner.
Scumbag
The Kings made him their bitch in ‘14. That’s even with Doc (malpractice) Emrick rooting for them all 5 games.
FU dude. The guy is a saint and a legend
I’m pretty sure the guy has a heart condition and will be forced into early retirement by it.
Pretty sure the guy is devastated by the news and would prefer to be healthy and play this season for the Caps.
Pretty sure the guy is going into the HoF as one of the greatest goalies in the history of the league.
This is par for the course. You mean to tell me all of a sudden he develops a heart ailment? If you look at every athlete in any sport that’s ever developed a heart ailment, it usually solidifies by age 23.
He screws Washington as well. Ovie’s window is closing.
Nice comments. Guy has a life threatening condition and somehow you manage to be a jerk and a wiki medical expert.
Jesus, you’re an a**hole.
And if he was a life long Cap and did this to the Rangers,you would be chirping a different tune.
You just can’t admit what your hero was-an underachieving goaltender that drained your cap and never won anything for the Rangers and on top of which,when the cameras were off,wasn’t a nice person.
I love how Ranger fans just clutch the gold for Hank. You know Sweden threw that game NOT to face Canada,right?
You are the type of fan that wears an OJ jersey.
Hank drinks from a fountain at his house.
#NOCUP
Honestly, who gives a shit if Henrik has no Cup? It’s a team effort, you bozo. Torts managed a defensive team that catered to winning games 1-0, 2-1, etc, and underutilized players such as JT Miller and Chris Kreider. Brad Richards was a flop. Ryan Callahan was on the ice half the year. Chris Drury was a shell of his former self, Jaromir Jagr went back to Russia, Marc Staal is still looking for his brain cells on the ice — and somehow Hank not having a Cup is his fault? You know nothing about Hank nor the Rangers, so keep your stellar commentary to a minimum on the topic.
Hank stood on his HEAD for those playoff-Rangers teams. Go ask Ottawa, Washington, and Pittsburgh. I’ll wait. Only time he didn’t was, you know, this year — after COVID and a 38 year old body.
Guy has an illness and you’re blabbering about No Cups. Doesn’t ever discredit him as being one of the top ten (and perhaps an argument to be made on top 5) goaltenders of all time.
PS – Doc Emrick does not ever root for the Rangers. Not even during the Cup run.
Seriously.
Plante
Roy
Broduer
Dryden
Hall
Sawchuk
Hasek
Smith
Fuhr
Fleury
There’s your top ten. While your skin whittling,figure out which one you would trade,straight up,for the Queen.
Zippo. None.
And all have a cup.
Face it-your goalie never won one. And never won anything except for a fixed Gold Medal.
Be proud of that.
What does anyone here care about a Gold Medal? Sounds like someone watched a documentary on the Chicago Black Socks and thinks he now knows the secrets to the “game.”
Sounds like a Russian dossier to me!
Boy, someone is a bit bitter. And I’d probably say this is jibber-jabber from someone who completely hates The Rangers. Take your head out of the sand and see the truth.
I’d be great too if I had Esposito/Orr, Messier/Gretzky/Coffey, Malkin/Crosby, and Bossy/Gillies in front of me. See where I’m getting at?
ALL IN THEIR PRIME.
Fleury, Fuhr, Smith and Dryden can take a backseat to The King.
His hair alone ticks him up a notch.
I bid you good day, sir.
I glanced at this list and saw you had Fleury in your top ten and the zero credibility you had actually turned into negative credibility.
Everyone on this forum is now dumber for having read your posts.
If you want to troll, join tik tok or Twitter, guy.
Fleury and Brodeur (ya I said it, great defence, system, Hank posted better save %’s) over Lundqvist is extremely iffy lol.
I am not a Rangers fan but Lundqvist was literally one of the best goalies of the past 20 years. There’s is no denying it.
it could have happened to anyone… so i have no clue where you’re insisting he meant to hurt the caps? ill guarantee isn’t the way he wanted to go out. Hell I’d even safely say the this probably forces his hand into retirement
Fleury is nowhere near a top 10 goalie of all time
This aged well……well it was already a crappy take at the time now that I think about it.
He should just retire at this point, no cup but he had a tremendous career.
Enjoy retirement with your loved ones, it’s not worth the risk
I was really looking forward to watching Lundy in net this year. At least some of the cap room is free now for last minute shopping. it also provides an opportunity for both Hershey Goalies to establish themselves at the NHL level
wow, that’s unfortunate. luckily Washington has some options still available on the open market
Next goalie to sign is Capital would be ……..? Howard? Anderson? I hope Anderson sign with Caps get him a cup before end of Career
Go into any bar and order a “Lundgvist”. You’ll get a drink without a cup.
Sad end to his career. How much better it would have been if he had retired from rangers instead of being pushed out.
I’d still take him over either Jones or Dubnyk.
There are a lot of examples of iconic franchise players playing out the string with a random team (Alfredsson with the Wings, Sundin with the Canucks, etc.) but I can’t think of an example like this where such a player ALMOST plays for another team, but then does not.
yeah hard to think of anyone who has done this before, but having said that this is a rare occurrence where health is the deciding factor
Datsyuk to Phoenix comes to mind. I’m not sure if it was certain that he retired at that point, but he and his cap hit were for sure traded to the Coyotes
Datsyuk’s rights were traded to Zona after he had returned to Russia. He didn’t flee to Russia to not play for the ‘Yotes.
I am always amazed at the vitriol directed towards a player nobody actually has met. It’s mind-boggling. I’m sure Henrik doesn’t care as he compares his bank account / retirement plan with that of most posting nasty comments.