Legendary Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist saves some time before his induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame, on Sunday in Toronto, for some Q&A with Post columnists Steve Serby.
Q: What do you remember about the day in 2020 when your doctor told you that you would need open-heart surgery. How scary was that?
A: It was not scary. I was so convinced that it was gonna work out. For months I was going through it with tests, and I really believed that it was gonna work out. It didn’t. It was more of a sad, shocking moment. But I wasn’t scared, I was very calm. It was almost like, “OK, this is a new game.” Right away I shifted the focus to like, “OK, I need to take care of this now.” I felt like I was in good hands too, so I was confident that it was gonna work out.
Q: Describe your emotions on the day you announced your retirement, Aug. 20 2021.
A: A lot of emotions, obviously. You think about everything you experienced on the ice as a kid, as a pro … especially a lot of memories as a Ranger. I was extremely grateful for everything I got to experience. I skated out for one more practice knowing that that would be my last practice and then I would retire. That was a strange feeling knowing that it was gonna be over, but I was just out there and I was like, “OK, I’m gonna go out and enjoy one last time before I retire.” It was back in Sweden. I was at peace with it, I was at peace with the decision. I knew I really didn’t have a choice because of my health. So I knew it was the right thing to do.
Q: Since that time, what is the biggest thing you learned about yourself?
A: I do pay more attention to how I feel, my happiness. Your priority as an athlete is not to always walk around and be happy, it just doesn’t always work that way (laugh). There’s so much focus that goes into your game, your craft, and now I feel like I shifted that when I retired more toward happiness. It was an interesting experience for sure to go through the heart surgery, but also shifting from being an athlete to now live a more, I don’t know, normal life, if you could say that.
Q: Did you seek advice from anyone about how to handle post-retirement?
A: Not so much about retirement, it was more about how to approach life moving forward. I had so many routines, the schedules, and now I feel like I’m more open to life and what happens. I’m all about great experiences, having fun, and it’s a little different approach now when I’m not playing. It was more talking about that more than, “OK, what is life gonna be after hockey?” I’m still exploring and doing things and meeting people and then learning, and I’m very open to figuring it out. I’m in a very good place, I’m having fun, so so far it’s been a very good transition.
Q: What drove you as a player?
A: The love for the game, I loved to compete. I loved coming to practice to compete with my teammates. My favorite drill was always the breakaway challenge, I did that after almost every practice. Same thing in games, I loved the competition. The passion for that was like the driving force I would say throughout the years.
Q: What do you remember about your last game?
A: It was strange times, obviously, playing in a Bubble [Aug. 3, 2020]. I knew it was probably my last game as a Ranger, I didn’t think it would be my last hockey game. I wasn’t sure at the time. I wasn’t sure if I was about to retire or play more hockey. It was emotional too, I remember that. After we were done in the Bubble, and talking to the team and knowing that it was the end of something very special for me after 15 years with the Rangers. I had a nice moment to close it out.
Q: In the locker room?
A: Yeah, just talking to the guys … when you’ve done for so long, same place, and you put so much into it of course, it was a special moment knowing that it was time to move on.
Q: What did you say to your teammates?
A: It was more how much I enjoyed being a Ranger, and encouraged them to enjoy being part of the organization. … It’s a great opportunity to play for the Rangers in New York City, and make sure they enjoy it.
Q: Why is your Club 30 podcast with co-host Jay Liddell so fun for you?
A: I just enjoy the opportunity to meet people and learn from people. Some of the guests I’ve met before and some I meet for the first time, but to me, it’s just kind of like what I do when I’m not working, meeting people in the city, and their stories are interesting to me.
Q: What was so interesting about Eli Manning?
A: I think first off, he’s a funny guy. When I run into him, he’s always good energy. It’s good to get to know him a little bit better, talk about the game and how he approached it and deal with pressure.
Q: Did you follow his career when he played?
A: It was nice to be here when they did really well and obviously won. It was hard not to pay attention to them, right? You want all those guys to do well.
Q: Did you follow Derek Jeter’s career?
A: It was just impressive to see how he handled himself on and off the field. He was a great leader. I think he inspires a lot of athletes, especially guys coming to New York and see how he handled everything and how he improved with the Yankees.
Q: Did you handle pressure in a similar way to the way they did?
A: That’s hard to say, but I think there’s definitely similarities. When you’re an athlete, there’s high-pressure situations of course. You need to prepare well but also you need an escape, you need to find ways to relax and get away from that pressure and the game and then come back refreshed. I think that’s the key when you play in a high-pressure situation.
Q: What did you do to escape?
A: I loved to hang out with friends, or watch movies (laugh), or play music and stuff like that, that kind of took your mind off of the game. Finding that balance because you were so committed when you did play and when you did prepare that you needed off time to shut your brain off.
Q: Did the pressure ever get so great that it caused you sleepless nights?
A: It goes up and down when you’re not playing at your highest standard, and then you try to analyze that, and that could definitely — after losses of course — give you sleepless nights, no question about it. You try to solve the challenge and make sure the next game you’re back on top.
Q: How often did that happen for you?
A: You play every other day, you’re not winning every game, so of course there was a lot of sleepless nights. But some games you’re so exhausted that you fell asleep, other nights you can’t fall asleep until 3, 4. But it was a combination of all that adrenaline and analyzing the game, the performance. So I would say I sleep better consistently now (laugh) not having to analyze my game or my performance.
Q: Did you ever speak to a sports psychologist?
A: Yeah. I talked a lot to my goalie coach [Benoit Allaire], but I also had sports psychologists throughout my career, for sure. I think it’s important because the mind was so important. You need to talk about state of mind, and not only know yourself as a player but as a person. That’s always been important to me throughout my career, and even in the transition from sports to my new chapter. I think it was very helpful to get guidance.
Q: What was the best piece of advice you were given?
A: A lot of talks throughout my career was about being in the moment. I think it’s important as a player and it’s important now in life. I think I’ve become a lot happier when I’m present. When you play the game, especially as a goalie, if you’re ahead of the play or behind the play, I think the key is to be as present as possible. It’s not like just because you’re more experienced after 10, 12 years, it’s still an ongoing process of working through that. There’s so many things that changes over time that you’re gonna have to adjust your thinking, too.
Q: What made Henrik Lundqvist a Hall of Famer?
A: (Pause) I wasn’t the quickest guy or the biggest guy, but my focus was something that helped me play at my best.
Q: Did your mentality in the playoffs change at all because you were so clutch in the playoffs?
A: No. I prepared exactly the same. You were aware of the importance of the games, obviously. Even though every game is important, it is different to be in the playoffs versus Game 62. But the way I approached it, the way I prepared was exactly the same. … You didn’t have to push yourself to find that extra energy. It was there. It was more about calm yourself down than anything.
Q: Where does the 2006 gold medal win for Sweden over Finland rank in your career?
A: It’s up there, for sure, at the top. It was a little bit of a surreal moment, because I got an opportunity to play with so many players that I grew up idolizing — with [Peter] Forsberg and [Mats] Sundin, [Nicklas] Lidstrom, [Daniel] Alfredsson, they were big stars when I was a young teenager. So of course I watched them play, and then everything happened so quickly. First year in New York you got to play for the Rangers, same year you get to represent Sweden in the Olympics, and we win. Yeah, it’s one of my highlights.
Q: Who was your funniest teammate?
A: There’s so many! I sat next to Dan Girardi for many years in the locker room. Amazing teammate, very funny. … He’s definitely up there.
Q: Did you have a favorite coach?
A: I love them all. They were so different. But I have to say [John] Tortorella stands out to me because of his passion. I loved coaches with a lot of passion, and he brought it every day. It was nerve-wracking at first (laugh), but I loved that. You were always on your toes. But again, all the coaches I had were so good in different ways, but I loved the passion from Torts.
Q: Where were you on 9/11?
A: I was drafted the year before. I was in New York that spring, but then I was back in Sweden, and we were going to a game with Frolunda. Someone on the bus said that something bad is going on in New York. It was hard back then ’cause of the phones to get good information. But then I remember we arrived at the arena, both teams before the game we were sitting together watching the news.
Q: Where was that?
A: That was like two hours north of Gothenburg.
Q: What was your reaction watching the news?
A: It was just hard to believe. The first news was just Manhattan is on fire, I remember that. Someone said, “Manhattan is on fire.”
Q: Describe your fashion style.
A: Well-dressed with an edge, maybe?
Q: How did your love for fashion begin?
A: I think between 18 and 22, 23, I just tried a lot of different things, different styles and eventually I kind of found what felt like me. It’s funny when you look at old photos and thinking, “Wow, I really wore that!” I do have a little artsy side, that was my favorite at school probably, art. Maybe that goes a little bit hand in hand with expressing yourself.
Q: What do you like best about your cologne?
A: I never had one go-to fragrance. It’s a niche fragrance, and that takes a long time, at least six months to develop, so it’s very different from a regular fragrance. The perfume oil, it’s a higher concentration. They last longer. It takes longer to develop.
Q: What was so great about being a New York Ranger?
A: So many things. Number 1, you get to play in Madison Square Garden. That alone is great, but then the Original Six, it’s an amazing franchise, the way they treat the players. Then you have the fan base, and so many people that care so much. I think any athlete, you want to play in a place where people care, you know? That makes it more exciting. Of course the pressure goes up, but that’s something that just adds to the excitement of being part of it.
Q: Describe the feeling when Madison Square Garden is going crazy for the Rangers.
A: Pure excitement. Even coming out every game, you’re first guy out there and you can hear the crowd even walking like 10 feet from the ice and it just gets louder and louder, and then your heart is pumping and yeah, you just want to get out there and compete. The best feeling was probably when you won a game and those first couple of seconds when you’re excited and happy at the same time, you can feel the energy from the crowd, from teammates … that moment is … I love that, that feeling. Obviously in the playoffs, those games in overtime, that’s hard to beat.
Q: The most electric Garden moment?
A: There’s been a lot of great moments. … I do remember Derek Stepan scored in overtime against Washington ,,, to win a series in Game 7 in overtime [in 2015], I think everybody (laugh), players and fans, to go from high to low of every shift, it’s nerve-wracking for everyone, so when you pull it off, I remember it being extremely loud in there.
Q: You consider yourself a New Yorker, right?
A: Yeah, a Swedish New Yorker, you can say that (laugh).
Q: What do you tell your countrymen and women about what a New Yorker is?
A: To me, it’s a hard worker. You travel to so many places around the world, and it’s beautiful and relaxing. I feel like in New York, you go. Doesn’t matter what you do. You’re running into people on the street, they might say hello quickly but they’re going somewhere always. So that determination of hard work, that to me is a New Yorker. And I love that, I love the energy, but also the work ethic.
Q: Describe your daughters Charlise, 11, and Juli, 8.
A: My oldest Charlise, she is very kind … calm. Juli, the little one, funny, maybe a little more edgy, and I think second child, that’s usually what happens, right?
Q: Why has your wife Therese been the perfect mate for you?
A: We’ve been a good team, and we have fun together. Raising two kids in the city you need stability.
Q: Why did you squirt Sidney Crosby with your water bottle in 2014?
A: (Laugh) As I was skating off I wanted to make sure that Crosby knew that I didn’t appreciate what he just did to my teammate.
Q: Why did you throw your stick into the crowd?
A: I did that a bunch, actually. It was more showing appreciation to the fans. But I remember after I don’t how many times I did it, but there were a couple of times almost a fight broke out in the stands, and eventually the Rangers asked me not to do it (laugh) because it was getting too feisty up there every time I threw out a stick. They support you so much, you want to give back.
Q: Your thoughts on this year’s Rangers team?
A: I think they’re a great team. They have a great mix of role players, star players, great goaltending. They’re an exciting team. Looking at the league now, there’s a lot of good teams. Which is good, it’s wide open in my opinion.
Q: Your thoughts on goaltender Igor Shesterkin?
A: He moves really well. He has a high stance, so I think that allows him to be more patient than a lot of goalies. He has good balance, a lot of control when he’s on his knees, so that’s a big thing in this game today, to be able to recover from like the first, second, third play on rebounds. He’s one of the best in the game, he really is.
Q: This is a team that could win a Stanley Cup?
A: Absolutely.
Q: Did you have a rivalry with Martin Brodeur?
A: I would say it was more with New Jersey, being a New York team playing them. But of course it was special playing against Marty because he was the biggest star goalie in the league through my career. He was so good already when I was a teenager. So obviously you watched him, and coming into the league you get that opportunity to play against him … it was inspiring.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Dave Grohl. Elvis Presley would be kind of cool. I’ll throw in my twin brother [Joel], I want to see him a little more.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: The latest “Top Gun.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Christian Bale.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Angelina Jolie.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Cheeseburger.
Q: You watched the Yankees have a Canyon of Heroes parade, and you watched the Giants have two. What about the fact that you were not able to have one of those?
A: Yeah, that was the biggest goal, biggest dream for so many years to try to do that. It will always be a little disappointing of course, not being able to win. We came close. We were in good position to do it between 2012 to ’15, those four, five years, we were definitely there. Coming up in the Finals, it was a great experience but it was tough not to come out with the victory there.
Q: Describe what it will be like playing in the Legends Classic on Sunday.
A: We’ll see how that goes (laugh). It’ll be fun. I remember now how one thing mattered so much. Now when you don’t play, there’s so many things going on, but when you’re on the ice, it becomes very simple. It’s just stopping a puck (laugh). It’s something very refreshing about it. And fun. I look forward to Sunday. We do like a ceremony before puck drop and then we’ll come out and play half a game. I talked to Adam Graves a couple of weeks ago, he’s gonna play in the game so that’ll be awesome.
Q: How emotional do you expect it to be for you at the Hall of Fame ceremony?
A: I have no idea. It’s one of those things, you go through it in your head, it’s like talking at a family wedding, or birthday. It’s not until you actually stand there and talk to them and look them in the eye that you don’t know what you’re gonna feel. I just look forward to share it with friends and family and all of the legends that inspired me as s kid. Really looking forward to that.
Q: Do you think you’ll be able to hold back the tears?
A: We’ll see. We’ll see. I don’t know (laugh).
Q: What drives you now?
A: I’m not trying to replace hockey. It’s gonna be hard to find something that will inspire me that much, but I just know it’s gonna be different, but I’m having a lot of fun.
Q: What are you most proud of about your career?
A: To me consistency was important to me. It was not one or two years, it was many years.
Q: What do you miss most?
A: The pressure. That pressure, it makes you feel alive, being out there and to compete.
Q: How do you feel about being called and being remembered by Rangers fans as King Henrik?
A: You know what I find very cool is when you run into people, families, that it’s happened a bunch where you have kids — they’re now maybe 25, 30 — and they say, “I grew up watching you with my dad, and we had such a good time at the Garden so many nights watching you.” That makes me feel really happy.
Q: What do you hope your legacy is to Rangers fans?
A: A guy that played with a lot of passion and loved being a Ranger.
Q: New York was lucky to have you.
A: Thank you. I appreciate that.
Q: Regrets?
A: There’s no regrets.
Q: That’s terrific if there are no regrets, right?
A: Yeah. I mean, of course there’s disappointments here and there that, you know, you didn’t win different tournaments, or we didn’t win the Stanley Cup, yeah of course. But there’s definitely no regrets.