Heart Condition Forces Lundqvist to Step Away

Capitals goaltender Henrik Lundqvist shared some shocking and stunning news on Thursday when the 39-year-old netminder revealed news of a serious heart condition that will take him away from the game immediately so he can seek further treatment.

The news comes 10 weeks after Lundqvist signed a one-year contract with the Capitals for the 2020-21 season, putting the Caps in the market once again for a second goaltender to work alongside sophomore Ilya Samsonov. On Thursday, Lundqvist announced his intention to pause his hockey career in the wake of the daunting medical news.
"Today is a pretty tough and emotional day for me," said Lundqvist in a video addressed to Caps fans. "For several weeks now, I've been undergoing different types of tests related to a heart condition. And after lots of discussions with doctors around the country and finally receiving the last [test] results earlier this week, I unfortunately won't be able to join the team this year. And I will need to continue the process to address and fix these issues."
The Capitals issued a statement on Thursday as well, fully supporting Lundqvist's decision. The team and its medical staff have been in close contact and has provided support over the last few weeks as Lundqvist's condition came to light.
"The Washington Capitals are supportive of Henrik's decision to step away from hockey at this time due to his heart condition. Our players' health is of the utmost importance, and we stand behind Henrik's decision. We want to wish him and his family all the best moving forward," the statement read.
When the NHL's free agency season opened in early October, Lundqvist and the Caps were a natural match. The New York Rangers - Lundqvist's lone NHL employer to that time - bought out the final year of his pact, making him a free agent. The Caps knew they'd be losing longtime crease stalwart Braden Holtby to free agency; Holtby signed with Vancouver the same day Washington inked Lundqvist.
Samsonov is Washington's ostensible goaltender of the future, but the Caps were in need of a veteran netminder to work alongside the young Russian, and Lundqvist was looking for a landing spot where he could have an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, the one honor still eluding him a decade and a half into a career that will certainly culminate with enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Caps' pursuit of Lundqvist was hardly a secret in the days leading up to free agency, mostly because the fit seemed so right on both sides. Lundqvist signed his one-year, $1.5 million contract on Oct. 9, and that perfect fit continued until the goaltender's health intervened.
"I can say for the past two months I felt so inspired and committed to prepare myself for this upcoming season," Lundqvist continued, in the video. "The daily skates and workouts and just the thought of playing in D.C. has really brought me lots of excitement. It's still very hard for me to process all of this, and kind of shocking to be honest. But with the experts involved, I know this is the only way of action."
Lundqvist avoided use of the word "retirement" in his video message. Given his age, it would seem unlikely that his playing career would continue even if doctors are able to successfully mitigate his heart condition to the point where he is able to return to the ice.
The NHLPA and the NHL are currently in final discussions over what shape the 2020-21 season will take and when it will start, but Lundqvist's sudden departure leaves the Caps once again searching for a goaltending partner for Samsonov for the upcoming campaign, and with precious little time with which to address that need.
Given the expectation of a high number of back-to-back games in what will be an abbreviated season, having two trustworthy goaltenders will be critical for all clubs this season, and in particular for teams with Stanley Cup aspirations, such as Washington.
Among the veteran netminders who are still unrestricted free agents are: Cory Schneider (age 34), Jimmy Howard (36), Craig Anderson (39) and Ryan Miller (39). Behind Samsonov on Washington's goaltending depth chart are Pheonix Copley, Vitek Vanecek and Zach Fucale. None of those three played in the NHL last season, and Copley (29 games) is the only one of that trio with prior NHL experience.
Vanecek was Holtby's backup during the playoffs in August, and he moves up to second on the team's depth chart pending any further personnel moves. With five pro seasons under his belt, the 24-year-old Vanecek would need to clear waivers if he were to be returned to AHL Hershey.
Because Lundqvist signed a one-year contract (as opposed to a multi-year deal) with Washington, the Caps won't be saddled with any untoward salary cap effects from Lundqvist's absence. They'll be able to use a long-term injury (LTI) exemption to get relief from his $1.5 million cap hit.
"I want to thank the entire Washington Capitals organization for giving me this opportunity, and also for all the support they've shown throughout this challenging time," Lundqvist said in conclusion. "I will now take some time to spend with my family and also take the necessary steps to work towards recovery.
"I want to wish all the fans all the best. I also want to wish the team the best of luck in this upcoming season. Take care, guys."