On October 9, 2020, Henrik "The King" Lundqvist landed a one-year pact with the Washington Capitals, who was set to become the backup to young Ilya Samsonov. However, he was never able to put on the glittering Caps uniform because he underwent open heart surgery on December 28, 2020 for doctors to replace an aortic valve. His recovery was long, he was even talking about a possible return, but that will likely not be the case as the former Rangers' crowned player has made his retirement official.
The 39-year-old, who spent his 15 years in the NHL with the Rangers jersey on his back, just dropped the news at a press conference (and on his Twitter account). The man known as "The King", long seen as the best looking player in the NHL, played a total of 887 regular games in which he collected 459 wins. He may never have lifted the Stanley Cup, but he pocketed a Vezina Trophy and collected a ton of international medals. By the way, he ranks 6th all-time in wins.
At 39 years old, it's time to take care of himself and enjoy the unique moments with his family. Hockey is great, but there is NOTHING in the world more important than health and family. Lundqvist has given it his all, both with the Rangers and with his Swedish national team, so this is a well-deserved rest.
