ICYMI: Medical condition will force Henrik Lundqvist to miss the season.

Straight from the man himself.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 3 years ago
ICYMI: Medical condition will force Henrik Lundqvist to miss the season.
Simon Hasteg…Rd/Bildbyran/Zuma

The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players Association have reached an agreement to move forward with a 56 game NHL season in 2021, but that news was overshadowed this week by a stunning revelation from beloved NHL netminder Henrik Lundqvist.

The long time star of the New York Rangers announced during the week that, just as he was set to play his first NHL season with a team not named the Rangers, he was pulling out of the upcoming season. Lundqvist announced in a heartfelt message on social media that a medical condition, specifically one that impacts his heart, has caused his doctors to advise him to sit out the season. 

From Lundqvist:

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 2 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 was 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.

Although Lundqvist himself made no mention of the pandemic, I can't help but believe that the increased risk factors for someone with an ongoing heart condition may have played a factor in this decision. 

The news for Lundqvist is terrible but the Washington Capitals have now also been left high and dry as a result of this news. The Rangers bought out the final year of Lundqvist's deal in the offseason and in turn the Capitals signed him to a one year deal worth $1.5 million. The move was designed to fill the hole left by departing goaltender Braden Holtby, who has since signed with the Vancouver Canucks, and now the Capitals will be forced to find another option via trade or free agency after losing Lundqvist for the entire season.

I would be remiss if I did not also mention the obvious long term implications of this situation and how that could impact Lundqvist's career. At 38 years old this contract with the Capitals was a terrific opportunity for Lundqvist to showcase his form after a pair of underwhelming seasons with the Rangers, and one has to wonder if that opportunity will be there a year from now when he will be 39. Lundqvist has shared very little detail regarding his condition, so who knows if that could still be a factor down the line as well. It would be a sad way to end what has been a terrific NHL career, but in spite of that I hope Lundqvist will do the right thing and continue to put his health first.

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