Henrik Lundqvist

Lore & Background

Lundqvist grew up with his identical twin brother Joel in Åre, Jämtland, where alpine skiing was the most popular winter sport, but the twins chose ice hockey. Their kindergarten teachers froze a sandpit to create an outdoor rink, and their father Peter took them to see Västra Frölunda HC play. In 1990, they joined Järpens IF, and during a practice, Joel raised Henrik's arm when the coach asked for a goaltender. The family later moved to Båstad to support their older sister Gabriella's tennis career, and the twins joined Rögle BK.

Lundqvist made his Elitserien debut on 21 September 2000 with Frölunda HC. After a difficult start, his turning point came at the 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Moscow, where he led Sweden's junior team to a fourth-place finish. During the 2004–05 season, he broke four Swedish national records: lowest goals against average (1.05), highest save percentage (.962), longest goalless streak (172 minutes 29 seconds), and most shutouts in a season (6). He won the Honken Trophy in three consecutive seasons (2003, 2004, 2005) and the Guldpucken and Guldhjälmen in 2005.

In his NHL rookie season (2005–06), Lundqvist was initially a backup but became the starter after Kevin Weekes was injured. He made his NHL debut on 8 October 2005 against the New Jersey Devils, a 3–2 overtime loss. His first win came on 13 October at Madison Square Garden. The New York Post columnist Larry Brooks first gave him the nickname 'King Henrik' on 16 October after a 5–1 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers. Lundqvist recorded his first career shutout on 17 October against the Florida Panthers, becoming the first Rangers rookie goaltender to do so since John Vanbiesbrouck in 1985.

Reader's Guide

Henrik Lundqvist's significance lies in his consistent excellence as a goaltender for the New York Rangers over 15 seasons. He is the only goaltender in NHL history to record eleven 30-win seasons in his first twelve seasons, and he holds the record for most wins by a European-born goaltender in the NHL. His Vezina Trophy win in 2012 came after being nominated in each of his first three seasons. Lundqvist was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2023 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2025. Internationally, he led Sweden to an Olympic gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. His playing style is described as a butterfly goaltender, though unorthodox due to his aggressive butterfly technique, and he is known for his athleticism, strong positional play, concentration on tracking pucks, upright torso stance, and quick reflexes. His nickname 'King Henrik' was coined by New York media and fans during his rookie season, reflecting his immediate impact and popularity.