The New York Rangers crowning glory, Henrik Lundqvist has been named to the 2018 NHL All-Star team. The all-star weekend will take place in Tampa Bay, FL the weekend of Jan. 27th and 28th.
New York Rangers Henrik Lundqvist Selected for NHL All-Star Team
Lundqvist, who is currently boasting one of his best seasons to date, will represent the Metropolitan Division in this year’s NHL All-Star game. He has appeared in two previous NHL All-Star teams in 2012 and 2013. The Washington Capitals netminder Braden Holtby will also represent the Metropolitan Division.
Dominating the Test of Time
It’s been five years since Lundqvist last appeared as an NHL All-Star. With more seasons under his belt, impressive Stanley Cup runs and more, there should be no surprise that Henrik is joining the team. Clearly, NHL fans have been as impressed with his continuously dominant play as his teammates have been. At 35 years-old, Lundqvist is playing exceptionally well, giving the Rangers a chance to win every single game. With his 36th birthday approaching on March 2nd, he’s clearly playing with a youthful energy well below his age.
All Hail Hank
When Lundqvist’s game is sharp, the entire Rangers line up feels it. With an average of 34 saves in the month of December, he’s been riddled with shots. The Rangers defense is unsurprisingly unreliable and Henrik is always the reason why the Rangers can get away with slow starts and poor execution. Lundqvist is as fierce a competitor as they come and his best will always be on display. The standard that he holds himself to is extremely high.
On December 13th, Lundqvist became the 15th goaltender in NHL history to record 20,000 saves. He continued to bolster his accolades throughout this season, taking sole position of eighth place for most NHL wins with 423, passing Tony Esposito. He is the only Swedish goaltender to even crack the top 40 goaltenders list.
The Mighty Metropolitan
The Metropolitan is the tightest division in the NHL when it comes to talent and success. With every team within a stone’s throw of tieing one another, teams need to be at their best every night. Hotlby also continues to impress as the netminder for the Capitals. The winner of the 2016 Vezina Trophy, Holtby will play in his third straight All-Star Game, keeping Lundqvist in good – if not familiar – company.
Since being drafted 205th overall in the 2000 draft, Lundqvist’s career has been a series of sparkling surprises turned to dependable displays of greatness. It will be a pleasure to see him on the NHL All-Star stage again, recognized for the legend he is.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
