King Henry about his future
Henrik "Henke" Lundqvist is in the butter. This summer, he married, the wedding was held in the Caribbean. This fall, he plays to his old home crowd at the Globe and Skandinavium. The Winter King Henry reigns in Madison Square Garden in New York. But it is in our terms, in the Stanley Cup.
"I really wish we could get to it and go really far in the playoffs," said goalkeeper star.
When Di Weekend hits Henke Lundqvist is the way to spring's playoffs for the coveted Stanley Cup. It's holiday times, but hockey pros can not afford to spend too much time in the hammock.
FACTS
Henrik "Henke" Lundqvist in figures
Age: 29 years.
Shirt: No 30.
Money: $ 6,875,000.
Internationals:
66 A-international matches,
66 junior internationals.
Olympic gold: 1 (2006).
National Championships: 2 (2003, 2005).
2010/11 season:
Rescue Percentage: 92.3.
Goals against / game: 2.28.
Kept zero: 11 times.
FACTS
New York Rangers games in Sweden
Friendly match in Scandinavium: Frölunda Indians on September 30.
NHL Premiere in Stockholm Globe Arena: Los Angeles Kings on October 7.
Anaheim Ducks on October 8.
Outside the sun is shining from a blue sky, but inside the Castle Forest rink in Gothenburg, is carrying out a dozen hockey players a playful workout. It is a mixture of Frölunda Players who do not are away on vacation and NHL pros from the Gothenburg area that is home for the summer.
Henke Lundqvist is the goal of full New York Rangers-trappings. Twin brother Joel Lundqvist, captain in Frölunda, are recognizable. But what of the other players who belong in the NHL and the premier league is more difficult to determine. All but one train in Frölunda Shirts.
Out in the parking lot, it is easier to separate the pros from the NHL league players. Some sports cars stand out: Porsche, BMW and a Mazerati Gran Turismo.
Two shower gives young players will utsläntrande with golf bags which they were loaded in the BMW-n and pulls away. From hockey rink to the golf course. La Dolce Vita! NHL pros, we guess.
The next player targeting key with remote locking the parking lot and the rattle of the Porsche. Professionals, too.
Ultimately, Henke Lundqvist with a pair of skates in his hand - and now there is no doubt. Pro with the fattest pay packet control naturally moves towards the matte black Mazeratin. New car prices: about 1.4 million.
After six seasons with the New York Rangers is Henke Lundqvist known as "The King", or "King Henry" in the home arena, Madison Square Garden. Henke was appointed to King when he was faster than anyone had expected conquered the place that first goalie during his years as a rookie in the classic hockey team New York Rangers 2005-2006 season.
"It's only me left in the team of the season," says Henke Lundqvist, now a veteran.
Since 2008 there has been the NHL Premiere in Stockholm Globe Arena in Stockholm. Two teams from North America have been playing matches on successive days. This year will host the Globe of three NHL teams. In the premiere round Oct. 7 meet the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings. The day after the Rangers made the Anaheim Ducks.
Which teammates are when Henke Lundqvist skating onto ice Globe he does not know quite when we meet.
"There are quite a few players whose contracts expire."
A professional contract gives a very high salary but zero job security. To Henke Lundqvist has three years left on his contract is no guarantee that he will remain in the New York Rangers. Goalkeeper Star's contract contains no "no-trade clause."
"No one is safe. It occurs always play deals that no one had expected, "says Henke Lundqvist.
The Swedish goalkeeper has been named New York Rangers key players, Rangers MVP, the last five seasons - a record number of times - so no danger that he changed out, it is unlikely.
"I want to play in New York, I feel incredibly good. I try not to think about it. But somewhere in there the longest, I am aware that things can change. Would they do that one must be able to bear the consequences and not just fall apart. "
After six years, Henke Lundqvist rooted in New York, where he lives with his wife, Therese.
"It is wonderful to live in Manhattan, we live fairly anonymous. I think it's great. "
In addition to ice hockey is Henke Lundqvist become restaurateurs. He and a few other hockey players, including team mate Sean Avery, bought a small restaurant in Tribeca: Tiny's and the bar upstairs.
"There is no sports place. I think it feels like a real New York place. The house dates from 1870 and although it has been renovated I still feel that there are over 100 years old. "
Twin brother Joel Lundqvist was previously pro in Dallas Stars, but returned to Sweden and Frölunda after three seasons. While it certainly can not complain about a star player like Joel Lundqvist in the top division is still opposed to being celebrated star on Broadway with an annual salary equivalent to 45 million ($ 6,875,000).
"It does not affect our relationship so much, we play the course at different positions. When we grew up we pushed each other more than competed against each other, "says Henke Lundqvist.
Joel Lundqvist is forward and became the first twin in the NHL to meet his brother as a goalkeeper. Without that score, it can be added.
"It is clear that there had been more competitive feeling if we had had the same position, but now we have not. It was fun we played the same team so long as we did, in the junior league and then in Frölunda for many years. We could have separated much earlier. Now followed we ate until we were 23 years old. "
Twin brothers were born in Åre in Jämtland 1982nd They started playing boys hockey in Järpen. When the boys was 11 years old the family moved to Bastad. New Club Address: Rögle.
"When it came time for high school, I moved and my brother to Gothenburg to play for Frolunda. It was a big step, "says Henke Lundqvist.
In Frolunda won the national championships together, twice.
Already during Henke Lundqvist's first season in the NHL, his greatest sporting success, but not with the New York Rangers but with the Three Crowns in Turin, Italy.
"Merit-wise's Olympic gold my biggest success, but emotionally it is to reach the big goals I had when I grew up. Each step in your career that you tried is very large, once achieved, when you reached the junior national team, then the top division, the squad and the first matches in the NHL. "
New York is a pure sports town. Hockey can not compete with baseball in popularity, but the club is one of the original six in the NHL and at home games in Madison Square Garden is packed.
"New Yorkers are living course for the sport. Do they not, then ... They let you know, "says Henke Lundqvist and laughs.
Expectations of hockey is high even though the sporting success has not materialized during the 00s.
"New York is a city where people work very hard to get where they are. When they watch sports so they expect the same attitude of our athletes. "
With a core selection of over 80 games and long trips, it can hardly be as much fun at every face-off.
"I like this life. I like that we live with travel, a fun sports and spending time with good and funny people. "
"But it is clear that some days it is not always tiptop - when training, traveling and coming home at night. But usually, almost always when things go well, it's fun. And we have seen in the locker room. Wins two of us three games in a row the fun of it, life is fun. And then there are two three losses and when you feel the atmosphere that the pressure increases. It goes so in waves throughout the season. "
Henke Lundqvist appreciate life as a professional.
"I have come to realize recently that career lasts a very limited time, you do not have many years left. Therefore, I try to pull myself even the day it feels heavy. You have to realize how good you have it. "
The past season was a statistical basis Henke Lundqvist's best, he held, for example zero in eleven matches. But the team was, as usual, quick exit from the playoffs. New York Rangers were eliminated by the Washington Capitals - again - in the first round.
"Prior to this past season, I aim to have better numbers than I had my best season. One of the goals was ten zeros. It was nice to do that. "
"As a goalkeeper you have to put up personal goals. Among the most difficult thing is to focus solely on what you can influence, your own game. It is the only thing that matters. Sometimes one thinks too much and say 'now we have to win'. Of course everyone knows that, but it is better to focus on that 'I have to save the next shot'. It's the only thing that matters and the only thing I can influence. And hopefully, it follows that we win. "
Sweden has in all years had outfield player who has been among the best in the NHL, but the goalkeeper hand, there has not been as all-star. A single Swedish has won awards as the NHL's best goalie: Pelle Lindbergh of the Philadelphia Flyers 1985th That same year, he perished in a car accident, 26 years old.
"When I started playing hockey, I had Pekka Lindmark as idol. He was really big in the late 1980s, "says Henke Lundqvist.
Pekka Lindmark never came to the NHL. That not more Swedish goalies have reached the absolute top in the NHL explains Henrik Lundqvist this:
"We have not really had that tradition in the youth ranks with the goalie coach and goalie schools. It is something that has come in the last ten to fifteen years. Finland, for example've been ahead, they have very good goalkeepers. "
"When I arrived there were not many young Swedish goaltenders in the league. It was pretty much foreign goalies who stood as the first goalies. But now you see many young Swedes who stands as the first goalies. It has advanced. "
Self tries Henke Lundqvist contribute to the development of his hockey school for young goalkeepers, Goal in the Net, which is held in Öckerö in the Gothenburg archipelago each summer.
"It's fun with the little ones, to see how aware they are at an early age. When I was at that age I had no idea what I was doing more than that I tried to stop the puck. Now there is a knowledge that was not there before, "he says.
"Take the network, for example, where they can see and learn. When I was young was not premier league on television even, and the Internet did not exist. Now you can go to Youtube and see and learn a lot by watching others. Therefore I think that these 8 -, 9 -, 10-year-olds already know how to play. They are very technical to be so young. "
One trend is that young talented players take the opportunity to take to North America as soon as they are able, they are all younger when they leave Sweden.
"There are select few top players who are able to go straight to the NHL. I probably would not have done it when I was 20, "says Henke Lundqvist.
"I was going over when I was 22 years, but then became it's lockout. It suited me perfectly. I got to play another year in the premier league which was very good that year because there were so many pros here. When I came over to the NHL, I felt well prepared, both mentally and technically. "
The NHL has Henke Lundqvist got to play with and against the world's best hockey players.
"The best I've played with is probably Jaromir Jagr. They did not realize how good he was until he was gone. They became spoiled. It's fun to be had playing with him. "
"But the best leadership figure is undoubtedly Mats Sundin. What a great leader he was for the team. We noticed immediately the respect he had with him when he came into the locker room. There are some who have such leadership. "
Mats Sundin was captain when Sweden won the Olympic gold 2006th The trophy that Henke Lundqvist hopes to lift the next is the person who instituted the Lord Stanley: Stanley Cup.
"Every time it approaches the endgame is hoped that it may be part of something special. We've talked to some of those who attended in 1994, about how special it was. "
The risk is that Henke Lundqvist will have to wait and wait. All Rangers fans know "The Curse of 1940", the curse that was upon the club between 1940 and 1994. New York Rangers did not win the Stanley Cup in 54 years! Since 1994 there have only been 17 years.
That is an interesting comment regarding Jagr. I agree with him. I felt that Jagr should have been resigned for one more year.
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