The Henrik Lundqvist Blog: Henrik Lundqvist Feels Lucky

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Henrik Lundqvist Feels Lucky

We meet Rangers star keeper in central Stockholm, a few days before the NHL Premiere in Stockholm Globe Arena. He is seemingly calm and relaxed, but recognizes that it is tight and a little nervous before the premiere.
- It's tight, you do not really know how to do it and how the team stands up. But I have a good feel for the team, there is good team and we have great new acquisitions, says Henrik Lundqvist for the Rangers season.
While he looks forward to the season finally kicks off. He is charged and looks forward to opening the NHL season on Swedish ice.
- I'm loaded. I've thought about this season for quite some time now, it will be fun to go. It is clear that you've been thinking about playing in the Globe. But it is the same as the game against Frolunda, you do not really know how it will feel. I'll try to be very focused on my job and not think too much on where I'm playing somewhere. But it is clear that there is a very special feeling to come home with the Rangers, it all feels a bit unreal in some way.

When the New York Rangers played NHL debut in Europe first, then in Prague in autumn 2008, appeared the idea and the urge to play NHL debut in Sweden up by Henrik Lundqvist.
- When we played NHL debut in Prague three years ago, I thought pretty much that it would have been fun to play premiered in Sweden, and now I get it. I feel very fortunate.

Already on Friday the week before the first NHL game in the Globe played Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers training game against Frolunda in Scandinavium. A welcome return for Henry, who played in the club from early junior age until he left for Rangers as 23-year-old. In addition, he was able to be restored to his twin brother Joel.
- It was special in many ways. Frölunda has meant a lot to me for many years. I began to follow the club when I was 5 years. To get back there with the Rangers ... They stopped and thought about where you've been somewhere, where you are going and where you are right now. In addition, my family there, Frölunda made it all very nice for both me and my family. I'm very thankful for letting me be part of it.
- We were nervous to meet Joel. They did not want him to score goals, then you would hear the rest of their lives. We have met four times, we'll see if he gets no further chance. So far it has managed to keep him away from målprotokollet.

Henrik Lundqvist is confident on the season ahead. New York Rangers have a busy autumn ahead. It starts with the NHL Premiere in Sweden, which was preceded by a European tour where they met a number of European clubs. Right now the team's home arena, Madison Square Garden, being refurbished and will, according to Henry feel like a new arena for them. Then put it against the Philadelphia Flyers in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day, a match which means that the American giant production company HBO will follow Rangers prepare for the meeting during the course of a month and a half.
Rangers have set a target to do better than last season. You do not have to fight for the last playoff spots in the regular season last trembling rounds, as was the case last season.
- We aim to be higher than last year. We want to be a team in the top five and try to avoid this war on playoff spots at the end. We want to be a bit up and to prepare to implement a good endgame, says Henrik Lundqvist.

In New York Rangers training camp, which continued during the month of September, three promising young Swedes struggled to take place in the Rangers ordinary law. Tim Erixon has distinguished itself with good speed and good puck treatment, according to Henry. He thinks it is great that Erixon now get the chance to participate in the opening game in Stockholm.
- Tim Erixon is a very smart back, good with the puck. It's fun for him that he may make to the Stockholm games.
When it comes to his own competitors on goalie record celebrates Henry's backup, Martin Biron.
- Biron played very well last season, sorry he was injured towards the end of last season. But it is a good goalie, it is that I push myself to get the playing time I want. He is an experienced guy, so he knows what it's about. It feels good to have him on the team.

Asked if he follows his former team Frolunda is no doubt that Henrik Lundqvist has little control over their former club.
- Absolutely. The very top division in its entirety, I follow not so much, but right Frölunda, I have an eye on. There I have my brother as I like to check on how things are going for.
He is happy that the club started season well and think that the capacity to go all the way to national championships there.
- Their team looks very solid out, goalies are playing very well. It's fun to have begun so well. I got a good feeling when I was there last summer and trained with them, it was like a little fresh start for the club. The acquisitions made feel quite right. They can definitely go all the way through.

When we finally talk about this spring's World Championships, which partly goes back home in Sweden, recognizing Henry that it is clear that there would be special, but it requires as you can reload, both mentally and physically, to really help team.
- When you play a long season and are mentally tired, then it is extremely important that you get to the national team and can bring something. Otherwise it is better that someone else play instead. But it is clear that home World Cup is special.
But if there is no World Cup games for Henrik Lundqvist's part, we must wait and see until the spring.
- To play the World Cup at home is obviously special, but you have to take it then, depending on how the situation looks like.