Henrik Lundqvist is a former Swedish professional ice hockey player who earned the nickname “King Henrik” for his dominant play style. Lundqvist played all fifteen seasons with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Lundqvist is widely known for his aggressive butterfly style of goaltending. During his professional career, he recorded the most wins by a European-born goaltender in NHL history.
Additionally, he competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics as a part of the Swedish men’s national ice hockey team. That year, Sweden successfully brought the gold medal home.
After he retired from professional ice hockey, Henrik Lundqvist tried his hands on sports broadcasting. On October 15, 2021, Lundqvist joined MSG Network to cover the Rangers’ 2021-22 season.
If you are curious about King Henrik and his journey to becoming one of the greatest goaltenders in the NHL, we’ve got you covered!
Quick Facts: Henrik Lundqvist
| Full Name | Henrik Lundqvist |
| Nick Name | King Henrik |
| Date Of Birth | March 2, 1982 |
| Birth Place | Åre, Sweden |
| Residence | New York, United States |
| Age | 40 |
| Gender | Male |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Height | 6’1″ (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 85 kg (187 lb) |
| High School | Not Available |
| University Name | Not Available |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Religion | Not Available |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Father’s Name | Peter Lundqvist |
| Mother’s Name | Eva Johansson |
| Siblings | Joel and Gabriella |
| Hair Colour | Dark Brown |
| Eye Colour | Blue |
| Skin Colour | Fair |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Partner | Therese Andersson |
| Kids | Charlise and Juli |
| Profession | Ice Hockey Player |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Status | Retired |
| Net Worth | $35 million |
| Salary | 1.5 million (2021) |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Henrik Lundqvist T-shirt, Autographed Gear |
| Last Update | July, 2022 |
Early years and family life of Henrik Lundqvist
The athlete Lundqvist was born on March 2, 1982, in the Swedish town of Re, in the Jämtland region. Joel is his identical twin brother.
The twins were taught to skate in a wintertime outdoor ice rink that their kindergarten teachers created. They were more interested in ice hockey even though their area was known for its alpine skiing.
When Västra Frölunda HC was playing, their father, Peter, took them to the Scandinavium arena in Gothenburg. It was one of their favorite memories, and it made them even more passionate about ice hockey.
In 1990, Henrik and Joel joined Järpens IF and began participating in organized hockey games. However, after their family relocated to Bstad, Skne, in 1993, the two brothers joined Rögle BK.
When Frölunda’s junior team manager Janne Karlsson first expressed an interest in scouting Henrik and Joel, they were taking part in the 1998 Scandinavium Cup.
Henrik Lundqvist played guitar in the Swedish band Box Play before going pro in ice hockey. Even though they only played Swedish rock covers, Lundqvist enjoyed himself because he loves music.
Career Västra Frölunda HC, Henrik Lundqvist
On September 21, 2000, Lundqvist made his Swedish Hockey League debut with the Frölunda Hockey Club. However, Frölunda was defeated by Brynäs IF in the opening match.
Lundqvist helped his team win the following game against IF Björklöven by turning away 18 shots with the exception of one goal.
On the other hand, he did not start for the majority of the season and Pat Jablonski took his place on the roster.
Instead, he represented IF Mölndal Hockey in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-highest ice hockey league in Sweden.
He joined the junior ice hockey team of Frölunda after playing in nine games, and in December 2000, he took part in the J20 SuperElit. His underwhelming performance started to worry his coaches, but at the 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, he was back in shape.
In 2003, 2004, and 2005, Lundqvist won the Honken Trophy as the best goaltender in Sweden. In 2005, he was also awarded the Golden Puck and Golden Helmet.
Rangers of New York: rookie campaign
Henrik Lundqvist joined the New York Rangers in the NHL’s 2005–06 campaign to serve as Kevin Weekes’ backup. But on October 8, 2005, Lundqvist made his NHL debut after Weekes was hurt in the second game.
On October 13 at Madison Square Garden, Lundqvist defeated the New Jersey Devils to earn his first victory in the NHL.
The New York Rangers defeated the Atlanta Thrashers 5-1 on October 16. After receiving praise from fans and the New York media for his play, Lundqvist earned the moniker “King Henrik.”
Lundqvist was selected for the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2006. In Rangers history, he finished his rookie season with a record-breaking 30 victories.
Friendly exchange
In a contest against the Dallas Stars in December 2006, King Henrik faced off against his twin brother, Joel. The game was easily won by the Rangers.
Eight shootouts were recorded by Lundqvist in the 2007–2008 campaign. In the same way, he participated in nine shootouts in the 2008–09 campaign, making history as the first Rangers goaltender to do so since Eddie Giacomin in 1966–67.
The Rangers defeated Metallurg Magnitogorsk, a Russian professional ice hockey team, to win the Victoria Cup in October 2008. Lundqvist played in the Elimination Shootout during the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal.
Henrik Lundqvist became the first goaltender to record at least 30 victories in his first four NHL seasons on March 12, 2009.
King Henrik finally won the Vezina Trophy at the 2012 NHL Awards in Las Vegas after being nominated each of the first three seasons.
He received five straight seasons of the Rangers Most Valuable Player award from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA) (2006-07 to 2010-11).
Injuries
Lundqvist sustained an injury to his neck’s blood vessel on January 31, 2015, while playing against the Carolina Hurricanes. He missed a few games of the season as a result.
On March 28, Lundqvist made a comeback and started the game against the Boston Bruins, but the Rangers fell short 4-2 in that contest. Even though Henrik started the remaining playoff games in 2015, the Rangers’ offense struggled.
On January 16, 2016, King Henrik achieved a new milestone in his career by becoming the first NHL goaltender to have 11 straight seasons with 20 wins. Furthermore, he achieved his 60th shutout against the St. Louis Blues.
After defeating the Colorado Avalanche on February 11, 2017, Lundqvist became the goalie to reach 400 victories in a career in the shortest amount of time. On November 25, 2019, he achieved his 455th victory, moving him up to fifth place in the NHL’s all-time wins.
Change teams to Washington Capitals
On September 29, 2020, the Rangers made their choice to terminate Lundqvist’s contract early. The athlete then became a free agent and, in October, agreed to a $1.5 million deal with the Washington Capitals.
Unfortunately, Henrik’s pericarditis, which caused an irregular heartbeat, prevented him from playing in the 2020–21 season. Additionally, he had open heart surgery in January 2021.
Late in February, Lundqvist went back to practice, but he later made the decision not to play in the 2020–21 campaign. The announcement of King Henrik’s retirement was made on August 20, 2021.
As a result, the Rangers declared that jersey number 30 would be retired in his honor. On January 28, 2022, the jersey will be officially retired.
Henrik Lundqvist: Family and Marriage
Therese Andersson and Henrik Lundqvist first met in 1998, when Lundqvist was still making a name for himself as a junior hockey player.
Lundqvist proposed to Andersson after the two had been dating for more than twelve years. In the summer of 2011, the pair exchanged their marriage vows.
Charlise was born to parents Henrik and Therese on July 10, 2012. Additionally, on March 20, 2015, their second daughter Juli was born.
In 2014, Lundqvist and his wife founded the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation with the goal of assisting low-income families with healthcare and educational needs. It is a non-profit, global grantmaker that holds fundraising activities.
Wealth and Earnings During a Career
Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers agreed to a six-year, $41.25 million contract extension in February 2008. Lundqvist earned $6.875 million on average over the course of a season.
On December 4, 2013, he agreed to a seven-year, $59.5 million extension of his original agreement. As a result, Lundqvist earned $8.5 million annually, making him the NHL goaltender with the highest salary.
His $35 million estimated net worth. Tiny’s, a restaurant owned by Lundqvist, is located in Tribeca, Lower Manhattan. He also has a wife and kids and resides in a $2 million mansion in New York.
Social media, by Henrik Lundqvist
King Henrik is without a doubt one of the greatest goalies in NHL history, but his good looks also attract fans.
He was named one of People’s magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People in the World in April 2006.
In addition, Henrik Lundqvist won Sweden’s “Best Dressed” title in 2004. You can find him on various social media sites if you’d like to follow him in his day-to-day activities.
Instagram: 593k followers
Twitter: 699k followers
FAQs
Did Henrik Lundqvist cheat on his wife Therese Andersson?
During his rookie season, there were rumors that Henrik Lundqvist was cheating on Therese with Swedish model Victoria Silvstedt. Henrik had just moved to New York from Sweden, and two were seen hanging out together.
However, the rumors were neither proven nor denied. But Lundqvist was accused of being unfaithful towards his partner again in 2010 when news broke out that he saw Princess Madeleine of Sweden.
Who is Joel Lundqvist?
Joel Lundqvist is a professional ice hockey player from Sweden. As of 2021, he plays the center position for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League.
Additionally, he is known for being the twin brother of former New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Joel Lundqvist played for the Dallas Stars of NHL from 2006-2009.
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