Star Goalie Needs Open-Heart Surgery

'We all have our mountains to climb,' says NHL's Henrik Lundqvist
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 28, 2020 11:21 AM CST
Open-Heart Surgery Is Next for an NHL Star
Then-New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist looks on from the bench during a game in February.   (AP Photo/Jim McIsaac, File)

He's been one of the elite goaltenders in the NHL for the last 15 years or so, but Henrik Lundqvist has a bigger challenge ahead. The 38-year-old announced Monday that he will undergo open-heart surgery, reports the AP. Lundqvist has spent most of his career with the New York Rangers, though he was recently traded to the Washington Capitals. In fact, it was his routine physical with the Capitals that revealed his ongoing heart condition was more serious than realized, per NBC Sports.

"[The] last 3 weeks my focus has shifted from training camp and the upcoming season to my health and what I can and can't do," Lundqvist wrote on social media. "We all have our mountains to climb. Staying positive here and set on the road to recovery." Lundqvist had previously announced that he would miss the upcoming season because of his heart issue. He gave no timetable for the surgery, but his announcement made no mention of his playing days being over. (More Henrik Lundqvist stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X