Henrik Lundqvist facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henrik Lundqvist |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2023 | |||
Lundqvist in 2022
|
|||
| Born | 2 March 1982 Åre, Sweden |
||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 182 lb (83 kg; 13 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Frölunda HC New York Rangers |
||
| National team |  Sweden |
||
| NHL Draft | 205th overall, 2000 New York Rangers |
||
| Playing career | 2000–2020 | ||
Henrik Lundqvist (born March 2, 1982) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played his entire 15-season career with the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the Vezina Trophy in 2012, which is given to the league's best goaltender.
Lundqvist was nominated for the Vezina Trophy in his first three seasons. He is the only goalie in NHL history to have eleven 30-win seasons in his first twelve years. He also holds the record for most wins by a European-born goaltender in the NHL. Fans and media in New York nicknamed him "King Henrik" because of his amazing play.
He was known for his strong way of playing, his mental toughness, and his physical strength. Lundqvist was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2023. Before joining the NHL, Lundqvist played for Frölunda HC in Sweden. He was the best goalie in the Swedish league, winning the Honken Trophy three times. In 2005, he also won the Guldpucken and Guldhjälmen, two top awards in Swedish hockey.
Internationally, he played for the Swedish national team. He led Sweden to a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Hockey Start
Henrik Lundqvist grew up in Åre, Sweden, with his identical twin brother, Joel. Even though skiing was popular there, the brothers chose ice hockey. Their kindergarten teachers would freeze a small outdoor rink for them to skate on. Their love for hockey grew when their father took them to see Västra Frölunda HC play.
In 1990, Henrik and Joel started playing organized hockey for Järpens IF. During one practice, when the coach asked for a goalie, Joel raised Henrik's arm and said his brother wanted to try. In 1993, their family moved to Båstad to support their older sister's tennis career. The twins joined Rögle BK there. By 1997, Frölunda scouts were very interested in them.
Professional Hockey Journey
Playing in Sweden (2000–2005)
Henrik Lundqvist made his top Swedish league debut on September 21, 2000. He got his first win in the next game, stopping 18 shots. After a tough start, he improved a lot. He played for Frölunda's junior team and led them to win the Anton Cup.
In 2004, The Hockey News ranked Lundqvist as one of Europe's best young players. During the 2004–05 season, Lundqvist set four new Swedish national records. These included the lowest goals against average (1.05) and most shutouts (6). He was named Best Goaltender and the league's MVP. In 180 games with Frölunda, he helped them win two championships in 2003 and 2005.
Becoming "King Henrik" in New York (2005–2017)
Lundqvist joined the New York Rangers for the 2005–06 as a backup goalie. He made his NHL debut on October 8, 2005, and got his first win five days later. The New York Post newspaper quickly nicknamed him "King Henrik" because of his great performances.
On October 17, he recorded his first NHL shutout in only his fifth game. He became the first Rangers rookie goalie to get a shutout since 1985. Lundqvist finished his first season with 30 wins, breaking a Rangers rookie record. He was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, given to the best goalie. He was also named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.
By his second season, Lundqvist was widely known as "The King." On December 14, 2006, he played against his twin brother, Joel, for the first time in the NHL. Henrik and the Rangers won that game. He was a Vezina Trophy finalist for the second year in a row.
In 2008, Lundqvist signed a big contract, making him one of the highest-paid goalies. He became the first Rangers goalie since 1971 to have eight shutouts in a season. He also became only the second goalie ever to get 30 wins in each of his first three NHL seasons. He was named the Rangers' Most Valuable Player for five years in a row.
On October 1, 2008, Lundqvist and the Rangers won the Victoria Cup. He was selected for the NHL All-Star Game in 2009. On March 12, he became the first NHL goalie to win at least 30 games in his first four seasons.
In 2010, Lundqvist became the first NHL goalie to win at least 30 games in his first five seasons. He was named an All-Star again in 2011. On February 17, he earned his 200th NHL win. On March 19, he became the first NHL goalie to win at least 30 games in his first six seasons.
In 2012, Lundqvist earned his 40th career shutout. On February 14, after a great game, Rangers fans started calling his amazing play "Lundsanity." He became the first NHL goalie to win at least 30 games in his first seven seasons. On June 20, Lundqvist finally won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender.
On March 3, 2013, Lundqvist set an NHL record for most shootout wins. On April 3, he passed Eddie Giacomin for second most wins in Rangers history. In the 2013 playoffs, he had back-to-back shutouts.
On December 4, 2013, Lundqvist signed a new contract, making him the highest-paid goalie in the NHL at the time. On March 18, 2014, he passed Mike Richter to become the Rangers' all-time winningest goaltender with 302 wins. On March 22, he became the Rangers' shutout leader with his 50th regular season shutout.
In the 2014 playoffs, Lundqvist set an NHL record with five straight Game 7 wins. He led the Rangers to the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1994. However, the Rangers lost to the Los Angeles Kings in five games.
In January 2015, Lundqvist suffered a neck injury that kept him out for nearly two months. Despite this, he still managed to get 30 wins that season. The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy as the best team in the regular season. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2015 playoffs but lost in seven games.
On January 16, 2016, Lundqvist became the first NHL goalie to start his career with 11 straight 20-win seasons. This put him in a special group with other Hall of Fame goalies. On November 1, 2016, he recorded his 60th shutout. On December 31, he became the all-time wins leader among European-born goaltenders. On February 11, 2017, Lundqvist earned his 400th win, becoming the first European-born goalie and first Ranger to reach this milestone.
Final Seasons and Retirement (2017–2021)
On January 16, 2018, Lundqvist became the only goalie in NHL history to win at least 20 games in 13 straight seasons. On March 7, 2019, he became the third goalie in NHL history to play at least 850 games with one team.
On October 3, 2019, Lundqvist earned his 450th win, becoming only the sixth goalie ever to reach this mark. On November 25, he passed Curtis Joseph for fifth place in all-time NHL wins. After the 2019–20 season, the Rangers decided to move forward with younger goalies. Lundqvist's contract was bought out, making him a free agent for the first time.
On October 9, 2020, Lundqvist signed with the Washington Capitals. However, on December 17, he announced he would miss the 2020–21 season due to a heart condition that required surgery. He later announced he would not return to play that season.
On August 20, 2021, Henrik Lundqvist announced his retirement from professional ice hockey. The Rangers honored him by retiring his number 30 jersey on January 28, 2022.
International Play
 Lundqvist with the Sweden men's national ice hockey team. |
||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Sweden |
||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Winter Olympics | ||
| Gold | 2006 Turin | |
| Silver | 2014 Sochi | |
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2017 Cologne/Paris | |
| Silver | 2003 Helsinki | |
| Silver | 2004 Prague | |
| World Cup of Hockey | ||
| Bronze | 2016 Toronto | |
| Inline hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2002 Nuremberg | |
Lundqvist played more games for the Swedish national junior ice hockey team than any other goalie. He led Sweden to a fourth-place finish at the 2001 World U20 Championship.
He first played for the senior Swedish team in 2002. At the 2004 World Championship, Lundqvist was the starting goalie and was named to the tournament's All-Star team.
Lundqvist's most famous international moment was at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. He led Sweden to a gold medal victory over their rivals, Finland. He has a record of four shutouts in top international tournaments.
At the 2017 World Championship, Lundqvist joined the Swedish team and played in the final against Canada. He had an excellent tournament. In the shootout, Lundqvist stopped all four Canadian shots, helping Sweden win its tenth World Championship title. His twin brother, Joel, was the team captain.
Personal Life
Family and Charity Work
Henrik Lundqvist is married and has two daughters.
In 2009, Lundqvist became a spokesperson for the Garden of Dreams Foundation. This charity helps sick children by hosting events and granting wishes. To support this, Lundqvist launched a clothing line called the Crown Collection.
In 2014, Lundqvist and his wife started the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation. This non-profit organization focuses on health and education for children and families. It works with partners in New York City, Sweden, and the Dominican Republic. Lundqvist was recognized for his charity work and was a finalist for the ESPN Humanitarian of the Year Awards in 2015.
Hobbies and Other Ventures
Lundqvist is known for his style and has been named "Best Dressed" in Sweden. People magazine also named him one of the World's 100 Most Beautiful People in 2006.
He used to play guitar in a rock band called Box Play when he was in Sweden. He still enjoys playing guitar in his free time. In 2013, he hosted a talk show on Swedish public radio called Sommar.
Broadcast Career
After retiring from playing, Lundqvist joined the MSG Network as a studio analyst for New York Rangers games in 2021. He also became a rotating studio analyst for TNT in 2021, joining full-time in the 2023–24 season.
Career Statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 1998–99 | Västra Frölunda HC | J20 | 35 | — | — | — | — | 2,100 | 95 | — | 2.73 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Västra Frölunda HC | J20 | 30 | — | — | — | — | 1,726 | 73 | — | 2.54 | .904 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 300 | 7 | 2 | 1.40 | .925 | ||
| 2000–01 | Västra Frölunda HC | J20 | 19 | — | — | — | — | 1,140 | 50 | 2 | 2.64 | .908 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.97 | .927 | ||
| 2000–01 | Västra Frölunda HC | SEL | 4 | — | — | — | — | 190 | 11 | 0 | 3.47 | .882 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | IF Mölndal Hockey | SWE.2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 420 | 29 | 0 | 4.22 | .868 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Västra Frölunda HC | J20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 60 | 4 | 0 | 4.00 | .840 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Västra Frölunda HC | SEL | 20 | — | — | — | — | 1,152 | 52 | 2 | 2.71 | .899 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 490 | 18 | 2 | 2.21 | .931 | ||
| 2002–03 | Västra Frölunda HC | SEL | 28 | — | — | — | — | 1,650 | 40 | 6 | 1.45 | .948 | 12 | — | — | 740 | 26 | 2 | 2.11 | .922 | ||
| 2003–04 | Västra Frölunda HC | SEL | 48 | — | — | — | — | 2,897 | 105 | 7 | 2.17 | .928 | 10 | — | — | 610 | 20 | 0 | 1.97 | .936 | ||
| 2004–05 | Frölunda HC | SEL | 44 | 30 | 8 | 3 | — | 2,642 | 79 | 6 | 1.79 | .936 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 855 | 15 | 6 | 1.05 | .961 | ||
| 2005–06 | New York Rangers | NHL | 53 | 30 | 12 | — | 9 | 3,112 | 116 | 2 | 2.24 | .922 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 177 | 13 | 0 | 4.41 | .835 | ||
| 2006–07 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 37 | 22 | — | 8 | 4,108 | 160 | 5 | 2.34 | .917 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 637 | 22 | 1 | 2.07 | .924 | ||
| 2007–08 | New York Rangers | NHL | 72 | 37 | 24 | — | 10 | 4,304 | 160 | 10 | 2.23 | .912 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 608 | 26 | 1 | 2.57 | .909 | ||
| 2008–09 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 38 | 25 | — | 7 | 4,153 | 168 | 4 | 2.43 | .916 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 380 | 19 | 1 | 3.00 | .908 | ||
| 2009–10 | New York Rangers | NHL | 73 | 35 | 27 | — | 10 | 4,204 | 167 | 4 | 2.38 | .921 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | New York Rangers | NHL | 68 | 36 | 27 | — | 5 | 4,007 | 152 | 11 | 2.28 | .923 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 346 | 13 | 0 | 2.25 | .917 | ||
| 2011–12 | New York Rangers | NHL | 62 | 39 | 18 | — | 5 | 3,754 | 123 | 8 | 1.97 | .930 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 1251 | 38 | 3 | 1.82 | .931 | ||
| 2012–13 | New York Rangers | NHL | 43 | 24 | 16 | — | 3 | 2,575 | 88 | 2 | 2.05 | .926 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 756 | 27 | 3 | 2.14 | .934 | ||
| 2013–14 | New York Rangers | NHL | 63 | 33 | 24 | — | 5 | 3,655 | 144 | 5 | 2.36 | .920 | 25 | 13 | 11 | 1516 | 54 | 1 | 2.14 | .927 | ||
| 2014–15 | New York Rangers | NHL | 46 | 30 | 13 | — | 3 | 2,743 | 103 | 5 | 2.25 | .922 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 1166 | 41 | 0 | 2.11 | .928 | ||
| 2015–16 | New York Rangers | NHL | 65 | 35 | 21 | — | 7 | 3,773 | 156 | 4 | 2.48 | .920 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 205 | 15 | 0 | 4.39 | .867 | ||
| 2016–17 | New York Rangers | NHL | 57 | 31 | 20 | — | 4 | 3,241 | 148 | 2 | 2.74 | .910 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 775 | 29 | 1 | 2.25 | .927 | ||
| 2017–18 | New York Rangers | NHL | 63 | 26 | 26 | — | 7 | 3,503 | 174 | 2 | 2.98 | .915 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | New York Rangers | NHL | 52 | 18 | 23 | — | 10 | 3,089 | 158 | 0 | 3.07 | .907 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | New York Rangers | NHL | 30 | 10 | 12 | — | 3 | 1,597 | 84 | 1 | 3.16 | .905 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 119 | 7 | 0 | 3.53 | .901 | ||
| SEL totals | 144 | — | — | — | — | 8,531 | 287 | 21 | 1.99 | .929 | 44 | — | — | 2,695 | 79 | 10 | 1.76 | .939 | ||||
| NHL totals | 887 | 459 | 310 | — | 96 | 51,816 | 2,101 | 64 | 2.43 | .918 | 130 | 61 | 67 | 7,935 | 304 | 10 | 2.30 | .921 | ||||
International Play Statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Sweden | WJC18 | 4 | — | — | — | 240 | 9 | 0 | 2.25 | .939 | |
| 2001 | Sweden | WJC | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 419 | 13 | 0 | 1.86 | .928 | |
| 2002 | Sweden | WJC | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 419 | 15 | 1 | 2.15 | .906 | |
| 2004 | Sweden | WC | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 476 | 13 | 1 | 1.64 | .925 | |
| 2005 | Sweden | WC | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 510 | 20 | 1 | 2.35 | .894 | |
| 2006 | Sweden | OLY | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 360 | 14 | 0 | 2.33 | .907 | |
| 2008 | Sweden | WC | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | 283 | 14 | 0 | 2.97 | .911 | |
| 2010 | Sweden | OLY | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 179 | 4 | 2 | 1.34 | .927 | |
| 2014 | Sweden | OLY | 6 | 5 | 1 | — | 360 | 9 | 2 | 1.50 | .943 | |
| 2016 | Sweden | WCH | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | 187 | 7 | 1 | 2.24 | .940 | |
| 2017 | Sweden | WC | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | 320 | 7 | 0 | 1.31 | .946 | |
| 2019 | Sweden | WC | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | 359 | 17 | 1 | 2.84 | .887 | |
| Senior totals | 51 | 36 | 14 | 1 | 3034 | 105 | 8 | 2.08 | .917 | |||
Records and Achievements
Swedish League Records
- Best goals against average (1.45) and save percentage (.948) in 2002–03.
- Best goals against average (1.79) and save percentage (.936) in 2004–05.
New York Rangers and NHL Records
- Only goalie in NHL history to have 30 wins in each of his first seven seasons.
- First NHL goalie to start his career with 11 straight 20-win seasons.
- Most shutouts by a goalie in Madison Square Garden.
- New York Rangers club record for games played in a single season: 73 (2009–10).
- The Rangers' all-time leader in shutouts (regular season and playoffs combined): 74.
- Most wins (459) by a New York Rangers goaltender.
- Fastest goalie to reach 400 wins in NHL history.
- Most shutouts (64) by a New York Rangers goaltender.
- Most playoff wins (61) by a New York Rangers goaltender.
- Most wins by a European-born goaltender in NHL history.
- Most saves in the shootout by a goalie (career).
Olympics Records
- Winter Olympics record for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal: 172 minutes and 34 seconds (from 2006 to 2010).
Awards and Honors
Swedish League Awards
| Award | Year(s) awarded |
|---|---|
| Junior Hockey Player of the Year | 2002 |
| Honken Trophy | 2003, 2004, 2005 |
| Guldhjälmen | 2005 |
| Guldpucken | 2005 |
NHL and New York Rangers Awards
| Award | Year(s) awarded |
|---|---|
| NHL All-Rookie Team | 2006 |
| Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award | 2006, 2018 |
| New York Rangers' MVP | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018 |
| Victoria Cup – New York Rangers | 2008 |
| John Halligan Good Guy Award | 2008 |
| NHL All-Star Game | 2009, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019 |
| Vezina Trophy | 2012 |
| NHL First All-Star Team | 2012 |
| NHL Second All-Star Team | 2013 |
| NHL All-Decade 2nd Team | 2010s |
Nominations
| Award | Year(s) nominated |
|---|---|
| Vezina Trophy | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 |
| Hart Memorial Trophy | 2012 |
| Ted Lindsay Award | 2012 |
| King Clancy Memorial Trophy | 2019, 2020 |
International Awards
| Award | Year(s) awarded |
|---|---|
| WC Best Goaltender | 2004 |
| WC All-Star Team | 2004 |
| Olympic All-Star Team | 2014 |
| IIHF All-Time Sweden Team | 2020 |
| IIHF Hall of Fame | 2025 |
See also
- List of family relations in the NHL
