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Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Henrik Lundqvist, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin lead Rangers All-Quarter Century team
Where does the time go? It's hard to believe that the first 25 seasons of the 21st century have come and gone. For the New York Rangers, it was a time of highs and lows. The highs include a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, when they lost to the Los Angeles Kings in five games (three of the losses came in overtime). There were also three trips to the Eastern Conference Final (2015, 2022, 2024), two Presidents' Trophies (2015 and 2024), and single season records for wins (55) and points (114), both in 2023-24. On the downside, there were the final four seasons (2000-01 through 2003-04) of a seven-year playoff drought. There was also a last-place finish in 2017-18, as well as perhaps the most disappointing season in franchise history, when they went from winning the Presidents' Trophy in 2023-24 to missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season – becoming just the fourth team in NHL history to do so. The Rangers didn't lack for talent during the first quarter of the century. They've already had one player (Henrik Lundqvist) earn induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame after playing his entire NHL career with the Rangers, as well as two who spent time on Broadway after 2000 near the end of theirs (Eric Lindros, Martin St. Louis). Here's our 20-man All-Rangers team for the first quarter of this century, including two goalies, six defensemen and 12 forwards. Goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin Lundqvist, a seventh-round pick in the 2000 NHL Draft, is the greatest goaltender in Rangers history. He almost literally walked in off the street at training camp in 2005, quickly took the starting job and held it for 15 years. 'The King' is sixth in NHL history and tops among Rangers goaltenders with 459 wins. His .918 save percentage is also the best in Rangers history, and his 2.43 goals-against average is the best among Rangers goaltender since World War II. He won the Vezina Trophy as the top NHL goalie in 2011-12 after being a finalist in his first three seasons, and set an NHL record by winning six consecutive Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But when it's time to do the All-Half Century team, it's not impossible that Igor Shesterkin will own at least some of the records Lundqvist now holds. He's already won the Vezina Trophy (in 2021-22) and has 162 wins in his first six seasons. The Rangers bet that Shesterkin will remain among the League's elite by signing him to a record-setting eight-year, $92 million contract ($11.5 million average annual value), richest for a goalie in NHL history. The Rangers are hoping he'll do the one thing Lundqvist couldn't do – lead them to the Stanley Cup. Defensemen First pair: Adam Fox and Ryan McDonagh Fox, a native of Jericho, New York, was adamant that he was going to play for the Rangers. Happily for the Blueshirts, he was successful forcing his way to Broadway after a pair of trades before he had had even played a single NHL minute. He's by far the highest-scoring Rangers defenseman so far this century (369 points; 63 goals, 306 assists in 431 games), won the Norris Trophy as the League's top defenseman in 2020-21, and has been as First-Team All-Star twice (2021 and 2023). McDonagh was the fruit of one of the great trades in Rangers history – they got him from the Montreal Canadiens in a 2009 deal that also shed the salary of veteran center Scott Gomez. He played seven-plus seasons with the Rangers and was their captain before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he won two Stanley Cup championships. He was plus-141 with the Rangers, the best mark by any Blueshirt in the 21st century. Second pair: Marc Staal and Brian Leetch Staal played more games on the blue line that any Rangers defenseman since 2000 (892 in 13 seasons), even though he sustained a pair of serious injuries earlier in his career (concussion, eye). He was never a great scorer but was a reliable top-four blue-liner who could play effectively for 20-22 minutes and appeared in 72 or more games 10 times. He's second in blocked shots (1,162) and hits (1,308). Leetch's prime seasons were in the 1990s, but he was still effective even as the team around him collapsed until the Rangers sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2004 NHL Trade Deadline. His 200 points from 2000-04 are fourth among Blueshirts defensemen, and his 0.74 points per game is second. Third pair: Dan Girardi and Michal Rozsival Every team needs a defenseman to do the dirty work. That describes Girardi to a T. No Rangers defenseman in the first 25 years of this century had more hits (1,798) and blocked shots (1,691). Despite all that grunt work, he averaged 22:15 of ice time in 788 games. Rozsival is often overlooked, but was an effective and unheralded defenseman who averaged 22:52 of ice time in 432 games with 42 goals and 176 points. He helped the Rangers return to the playoffs in 2005-06 with 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) and a plus-35 rating. Forwards First line: Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad Kreider is the Rangers third-leading career goal-scorer (and tops in the 21st century) with 326 and one of only two 50-goal scorers (52 in 2021-22) this century. He's also tops among forwards since 2000 at plus-121, led all Rangers with 13 shorthanded goals and is tied with Camille Henry for the franchise's all-time record with 116 power-play goals. Panarin is the best free-agent signing in Rangers history. He's led them in scoring in each of his six seasons in New York, his 1.28 points per game are the best in team history, and his 120-point performance in 2023-24 is second behind Jaromir Jagr. The trade that brough Zibanejad to the Rangers from the Ottawa Senators in July 2016 is one of the great deals in franchise history. Though he's struggled in the past couple of seasons, the 32-year-old's 589 points are the most by a Ranger since 2000, and he's scored at least 20 goals in eight straight seasons. Second line: Mats Zuccarello, Derek Stepan, Jaromir Jagr 'Zuc' was one of the most popular players in team history as well as one of the best this century. His 352 points (113 goals, 239 assists) are fifth among all Rangers since 2000, and he led them in scoring in 2013-14, the last time the Blueshirts reached the Stanley Cup Final. It was easy to overlook Stepan, a fine middle-six center who scored 17-22 goals and 44-57 points in each of his eight seasons with the Rangers. He was also at least plus-5 in all eight seasons, and his plus-109 total is second among forwards. Jagr was the biggest reason the Rangers ended their seven-season playoff drought in 2005-06; he set franchise single-season records that still stand with 54 goals and 123 points. His 1.15 ppg is second to Panarin all-time. Third line: Rick Nash, Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik The Rangers acquired Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets in July 2012, and never quite lived up to his superstar status. But Nash did help the Blueshirts reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and scored 42 goals in 2014-15, when they won the Presidents' Trophy. He finished his time in New York with 145 goals in 375 games. 'Cally' was the Rangers captain from 2011-12 until he was traded to the Lightning before the 2014 trade deadline. He was a heart-and-soul player, who also had three 20-goal seasons in a four-year span and held the team record with 285 hits until Will Cuylle surpassed him with 301 last season. The Rangers got their money's worth from Gaborik during his three full seasons in New York after signing as a free agent in July 2009. He scored 44 goals in 2009-10 and 42 in 2011-12. His goal against the Washington Capitals at 14:41 of the third overtime against the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals is still the latest in team history. Fourth line: Brandon Dubinsky, Vincent Trocheck, J.T. Miller Dubinsky had the only two 20-goal seasons of his career during his six years in New York — as well as his only three seasons with at least 100 penalty minutes. Like Callahan, he was no fun to play against. The addition of Trocheck as a free agent in the summer of 2022 has paid off handsomely for the Rangers. He has 200 points (73 goals, 127 assists) in 246 games and has been one of the League's top face-off men during that time. His 52 assists and 77 points in 2023-24 were career highs. The Rangers brought Miller back in late January in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks, just short of seven years after they traded away their 2011 first-round pick. He became one of the NHL's most productive centers with the Canucks in the 2020s and averaged more than a point a game after his return to Broadway, where he figures to be the first-line center this season. Miller had a pair of 22-goal seasons with the Rangers before they traded him to the Lightning ahead of the 2018 deadline. Related Headlines Rangers top draft pick Malcolm Spence earns praise at World Junior Summer Showcase Rangers' most memorable regular-season games from 2000-25, including Mika Zibanejad's 5-goal night Understanding no-trade/no-movement protection for Rangers veterans, including Mika Zibanejad Rangers not alone facing crucial decisions with key prospects, young NHL players
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Rangers legend ‘never really had a chance to say goodbye' until Chris Drury phone call changed everything
Henrik Lundqvist never imagined his final NHL game would come in the bubble during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. And after 15 years in net for the New York Rangers, there was no true farewell for 'The King,' the greatest goaltender in franchise history. 'I never really had a chance to say goodbye, to get closure,' Lundqvist said this week on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast. So when Lundqvist officially announced his retirement on Aug. 20, 2021 while back home in Sweden, that feeling lingered. But just as he was finishing up a media session that day, his phone rang. 'I see it's (Rangers general manager) Chris Drury,' Lundqvist recalled. 'He says, 'Congrats,' and then, 'Your jersey is going up this year.'' Five months later, with his heart surgically repaired and his NHL career in the rearview mirror, Lundqvist stood on the Garden ice one last time as he and the Rangers Faithful each were given a proper goodbye. But the call from Drury only tells part of the story. Before any of that, Lundqvist was still planning to suit up again, hoping for a fresh start with the Washington Capitals until an uncomfortable update from his doctors changed everything. Related: Henrik Lundqvist's battle off the ice before retiring in 2021 Lundqvist had long known about a leaky valve in his heart, but it remained steady for years. It was something he and his doctors monitored, not something he thought would end his playing career. That changed during his first round of medical testing after he signed a one-year contract with the Capitals in October of 2020. 'The leak was getting worse. The pressure in my heart was going up. My aorta was growing too much,' he explained. 'There were a few things going on.' Still, Lundqvist was determined to continue playing after the Rangers bought out his contract following the 'bubble' postseason in the summer of 2020. In his mind, he was already on his way back. 'I really thought it would come down to my convincing my wife, like, 'no, no, I'm going to do this,'' he said. 'Yeah, the risk is a little higher now, but I was ready to go.' A month later, back home and getting ready for training camp for the delayed 2020-21 season, Lundqvist packed his bags, only to get a call that changed everything, 'All the tests, everything is actually worse than we thought,' doctors told him. 'My pressure used to be 19 or 20. I was at 60,' Lundqvist said. 'At 70, your heart stops. My aorta was too big. They needed to replace it. And the valve, it was just hanging on.' The fight was over before it ever began. 'So yeah, it became an easy decision. I had to do it,' he said. 'If it had been a gray area, I probably would've pushed through. But when you hear that? You know there's no going back.' Related: Post-surgery rehab The surgery at Cleveland Clinic in January of 2021 was a success, but the following weeks were anything but easy. At first, even the basics were challenging. 'The first couple weeks after the open-heart [surgery], I was hardly walking,' Lundqvist said. 'Every week just got better and better.' Still, Lundqvist thought the comeback was on. 'In my head, I was coming back,' he said. Seven weeks out, he returned to the ice. It was just a few light skating drills to get a feel for the pace. 'I was in a good pace to start skating — not bad,' he said. 'I was just on the ice to feel, to get the timing. No high shots, obviously … just on-ice shots for the first couple weeks, then to put pressure on the chest.' Physically and mentally, Lundqvist felt strong. He was progressing on schedule, and even ahead of it in some ways. 'You have to wait for your chest to heal in terms of pressure,' he said. 'You can't exercise hard after three weeks. You've got to do it week by week, and kind of listen to your body.' But as weeks went on, reality set in, even after Lundqvist confirmed he wouldn't be able to play in 2020-21. 'Honesty, physically, mentally, I felt so good,' Lundqvist said. 'But I knew I can't .. I can't fight this thing.' After everything he'd been through, and everything he still wanted to accomplish, the decision became clear. 'It was time to hang it up.' A proper goodbye By the time Lundqvist officially retired, he had already come to peace with the reality the he'd never play again. Emotionally though, something felt unfinished. The Rangers reached out shortly after his announcement in Sweden to let him know his No. 30 would be retired in a ceremony at Madison Square Garden. 'My last game was in the bubble. No fans. I never really had a chance to say goodbye,' Lundqvist said. And when January 28, 2022 arrived, it was as unforgettable Garden moment. Fans (who normally show up right before puck drop) poured into the Garden hours early. The concourses overflowed, and some paid more for their ticket than they ever had just to be in the building. It was a once in a generation kind of night — not just for Lundqvist, but for everyone who had ever watched the future Hall of Famer play. By the time he stepped onto the ice, the roar inside MSG was deafening. Chants of 'Henrik! Henrik! Henrik!' shook the building. Between the video tributes and standing ovations, the emotion all built towards the moment when No. 30 was raised to the rafters. It was a thank you, a celebration and a proper goodbye to the Garden faithful. 'It was an incredible moment for so many reason. I'll never forget it.' Related Headlines Rangers top draft pick Malcolm Spence earns praise at World Junior Summer Showcase Rangers' most memorable regular-season games from 2000-25, including Mika Zibanejad's 5-goal night Understanding no-trade/no-movement protection for Rangers veterans, including Mika Zibanejad Rangers not alone facing crucial decisions with key prospects, young NHL players
Indianapolis Star
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'The dream is still very much alive': IndyCar interest gives Linus Lundqvist belief he'll return
Linus Lundqvist has attended nearly every IndyCar race in 2025, despite not having a ride, in hopes of remaining on teams' radars for 2026. TORONTO — It's been a painful 10 weeks for Linus Lundqvist, spending nearly every weekend watching Indy cars race around the Midwest from the sidelines. But it's a purposeful agony he's chosen, and the 2024 IndyCar Rookie of the Year is hoping the emotional scars he talks over with his therapist will before long pave the road back to the cockpit of the only job he's ever wanted. 'It's hard, because my passion is driving and winning, and it hurts to be at a racetrack and watching everybody else do it and not me,' Lundqvist told IndyStar while serving as a reserve driver for Arrow McLaren, a one-off opportunity spurred by the mild concussion Nolan Siegel suffered last weekend at Iowa Speedway. Lundqvist, who has 20 IndyCar starts under his belt with a resume that includes a pair of podiums, a pole and a 16th-place finish in the championship as a rookie with Chip Ganassi Racing a year ago, was tabbed to be on standby this week and weekend in case the team's full-time driver of the No. 6 wasn't cleared to return. Lundqvist actually traveled with the team Thursday morning with Siegel back in Indianapolis awaiting clearance – a call the young American driver eventually received, meaning the 26-year-old Swede will roam the IndyCar paddock this weekend in a papaya uniform instead of plain clothes, his seat marginally different while on the timing stand instead of the grandstands. Ultimately, Sunday was largely the same. 'I'm very up front about the fact that in this sense, it sucks, but I also know that it's my best shot at being back at a track and driving next year is being here and going through all of that and being ready,' Lundqvist continued. 'It's like, yeah, it's pain, but pain I'm willing to go through to hopefully be on the grid next year.' Days ahead of this season's IndyCar opener at St. Pete, Lundqvist announced he wouldn't be on the grid full time in 2025, noting he'd been 'formally notified' by CGR in January that what he described as a 'multi-year agreement' had been terminated after just one year. The writing appeared to have been on the wall for some time, with his former home announcing back in October that its roster for 2025 was set and seats elsewhere around the paddock largely having been almost entirely set for months. Whereas his former teammate Marcus Armstrong, who similarly had inked a multi-year deal with CGR, had been loaned out to Meyer Shank Racing, a team CGR entered into a technical alliance with ahead of this season, Lundqvist felt he'd been left high and dry as IndyCar's newly launched charter system that allows teams to run a maximum of three full-time cars for guaranteed entry into each race forced CGR to scale its lineup back from five cars to three. 'I am hopeful that through the provisions in my CGR agreement, we will be able to reach a resolution that would place me back in a competitive seat,' Lundqvist wrote on social media in February. 'In the meantime, I will continue to pursue other racing options, preferably in IndyCar where I hope to continue my career and build on my open-wheel successes to date.' That pursuit, Lundqvist has explained, has involved attending most IndyCar races within driving distance of his Indianapolis home, taking his helmet and safety equipment with him and preparing as if he was scheduled to be in the car, so that if such an opportunity were to come about, he'd be ready to best prove himself, knowing he may only get one more shot to audition for a second chance. After all, in a short three-race substitute stint for Meyer Shank Racing near the end of the 2023 season coming off his rather dominant 2022 Indy Lights championship run, Lundqvist made his IndyCar debut and took the paddock by storm, starting in the top 12 for all three races and notching a 12th-place finish on the IMS road course in his second career race. Just a couple weeks later, he'd been scooped up by the hottest team on the paddock of late. Siegel energized for Toronto return: 'I have a greater appreciation for what I'm doing.' 'For me, this is very much a no-brainer. (IndyCar) is my Plan A, B, C and D. There's no backup plan,' he said. 'I'm very determined to make this work somehow, and the only thing I know is to be here, ready and available and staying sharp, because I know that if you're at home feeling sorry for yourself, nothing's going to come of it. 'So every race I can be at, the best thing I can do for myself is to be here, be ready, and when I got the call from Arrow McLaren, it was, 'OK, I must be doing something right. I'm still in the ballpark to be considered in case something were to happen.'' When at the track, Lundqvist can be frequently seen chatting up various team owners and officials, doing his best to ensure he's top of mind for anyone who may have an opening, whether that's a short-term one like Arrow McLaren this weekend, or a full-time shot for 2026 and beyond as IndyCar's silly season begins to kick into high gear in the coming weeks. 'I'm still quite positive about my chances of being on the grid next year. Obviously, this is IndyCar and motor racing, and you never know until something is done, but I also think if those conversations I've been having with teams were, 'No, we're not interested,' then I'd probably at some point stop showing up to races and say, 'OK, this isn't going to work,'' Lundqvist said. 'But I keep showing up because people keep saying they're interested and that there might be opportunities, so that's what I live on right now, that the dream is still very much alive.'
Fox Sports
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Linus Lundqvist Selected as Arrow McLaren's Weekend Reserve Driver
INDYCAR Former INDY NXT by Firestone champion Linus Lundqvist has been chosen by Arrow McLaren to be a reserve driver for this weekend's NTT INDYCAR SERIES race in Toronto should full-time driver Nolan Siegel not be available. Siegel suffered an accident in Saturday's race at Iowa Speedway and was not cleared by the INDYCAR Medical Team to drive in Sunday's race. The team did not field the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in that race. Siegel, 20, will be evaluated by the INDYCAR Medical team on Thursday morning ahead of his travel to Toronto, and he will compete if cleared. Lining up Lundqvist was done as a precautionary matter in anticipation of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (noon ET, FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). Lundqvist, 26, has 20 career NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts over the past two years. He made his series debut with Meyer Shank Racing in 2023, and last year he won at pole (at Road America) and scored a pair of third-place finishes (at Barber Motorsports Park and World Wide Technology Raceway) for Chip Ganassi Racing as he earned Rookie of the Year honors. He finished 17th in last year's Toronto race for CGR. Lundqvist won the INDY NXT by Firestone championship in 2022. recommended Item 1 of 3
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Henrik Lundqvist shows how to retire in style with epic waterfront BBQ
Source: Henrik's Instagram The legendary goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, a.k.a. "The King," is showing that existence beyond hockey can be quite amazing. In a picture posted by Henrik's official Instagram handle, Lundqvist was seen having a laid-back summer afternoon, topless by the grill with a breathtaking ocean view. The retired New York Rangers legend is enjoying retirement with the same swagger and charm he possessed on the ice, only now with more sun and less slapshots. Henrik Lundqvist lives the life in retirement with picturesque summer BBQ Henrik posted the photo on his Instagram with the caption, 'Swedish BBQ season off to a great start 👌🏻,' wearing sunglasses and a hat. Lundqvist flanked a chic barbecue station, obviously in his element as he flipped food in the sunny weather. Long renowned for his quick wit off the ice, Lundqvist has ever balanced a passion for fashion, music, and family alongside his legendary hockey life. After retiring from the NHL, he leaned into those passions while remaining immersed in the sport as an analyst and ambassador. The photo is the perfect representation of how he has moved from a life of big-realm games to one about leisure and fun. Whether on the microphone or the grill, Lundqvist appears adamant about creating a new gold standard in retirement. From Madison Square Garden to waterfront leisure Following 15 seasons with the New York Rangers and winning the Vezina Trophy, Lundqvist retired in 2021 as a result of a heart problem that was to be operated on. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Birla Evara 3 and 4 BHK from ₹ 1.75 Crore* Birla Estates Learn More Undo Though retiring from the sport was not how he wanted to end his career, he has fully entered into his new life. The Swedish legend has frequently been giving fans a glimpse of his life after hockey, ranging from spending time with his family in Sweden to working as an NHL studio analyst. The latest photo reveals he's doing well away from the ice, swapping his goalie pads for barbecue tongs with ease. Henrik Lundqvist's waterfront barbecue is more than just a harbinger of summer, it's a sign that some legends manage to make even retirement seem like a work of art. And by that huge grin, the King is precisely where he belongs. Also Read: Vancouver Canucks add defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph on one-year contract worth $775,000 Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
