Henrik Lundqvist (born March 2, 1982, in Åre,
Sweden) is a Swedish professional ice hockey
goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National
Hockey League (NHL). He has twice been nominated for
the Vezina Trophy, most recently finishing tied for
third in the voting. His dominating play during his
rookie season resulted in the New York media and
Rangers fans giving him the nickname "King Henrik".
During the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, he
led the Sweden national men's ice hockey team to
their second Olympic gold medal.
Before joining the Rangers, Lundqvist played for
Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien. During his
years in Sweden, he developed into the league's
finest goaltender, winning the Honken Trophy three
consecutive seasons; 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 2005
he also won two of the most prestigious awards in
Swedish ice hockey, the Golden Puck and the Golden
Helmet.
Lundqvist is considered a butterfly style goalie,
though unorthodox due to the aggressive way he
performs the butterfly. He is best known for his
sensational quickness, athleticism, and strong
positional play.
