With his number 30 already in the rafters at Madison Square Garden, former New York Rangers great Henrik Lundqvist will soon be remembered for his greatness at another hockey-related location.
On Wednesday, June 21, the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee announced that the man they call the “King,” who was in his first year of eligibility, will be inducted into the HHOF in November. This was an absolute no-brainer selection.
For starters, just take a look at what he accomplished:
– 459 wins (Most by a European goaltender and sixth all-time in the NHL)
– Fastest goaltender in NHL history to record 400 wins
– 2.43 career goals-against average (25th all-time in the NHL, minimum of 250 games played)
– .918 career save percentage (11th all-time in the NHL, minimum of 250 games played)
– 64 career shutouts
– 5x All-Star (2009, 2011, 2012, 2018, and 2019)
– NHL First All-Star Team (2012)
– NHL Second All-Star Team (2013)
– 5x Vezina Trophy Finalist (2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2013)
– Hart Memorial Trophy Finalist (2012)
– Ted Lindsay Award Finalist (2012)
– 2012 Vezina Trophy Winner
– 2006 Winter Olympic Gold Medalist with Team Sweden
– 2014 Winter Olympic Silver Medalist with Team Sweden
– 2017 Gold Medalist at the World Championships with Team Sweden
– He is the only goaltender in NHL history to record 30 wins in each of his first seven seasons
– First NHL goaltender to start his career with 11 straight 20-win seasons and overall became the 15th NHL goaltender to have won at least 20 games in a season 11 times.
Secondly, despite not winning a Stanley Cup, Lundqvist was also one of the game’s best goaltenders in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He was 61-67 with a 2.30 goals-against average (eighth all-time, minimum 100 games played), a .921 save percentage (third all-time in the NHL, minimum 100 games played), and 10 shutouts.
He was outstanding in Game 7’s. Lundqvist has the record for most consecutive Game 7 wins with six.
Lastly, he was everything and more for the Rangers. He gave them a chance to win every single night, carried them into the playoffs time and time again, stole many games that they had no right being in, and after missing the playoffs from the 1997-98 season through the 2003-04 season, he made the franchise relevant again.
Lundqvist has more than earned this spot at the top of the hockey mountain with all of the other hockey greats.
