Because of where Henrik Lundqvist is from and where he has gone, the Stanley Cup playoffs won’t make him sweat. The Rangers’ rookie goaltender comes from Sweden – and he went all the way at the Olympics, winning a gold medal in February.
That, according to ex-Ranger GM Neil Smith, is the pinnacle for a Swede.
“To play for your country for the gold medal means a lot more to the European players than it does to the Canadian and American players,” said Smith, now an NHL analyst for OLN.
“Canadians and Americans have grown up dreaming about winning a Stanley Cup. Europeans have grown up dreaming about winning a gold medal and playing for their country.”
While Lundqvist is no Marty Brodeur – at least not yet – Smith thinks he has proved he can play at the Devil goalie’s level. Smith even pointed out how former Ranger goalies John Vanbiesbrouck and Mike Richter bested Brodeur in the past.
“Lundqvist can backstop a team to beat Brodeur,” said Smith, who still is picking the hot Devils to beat the cold Rangers.
While Brodeur is like a third defensemen because of his stick-handling, Lundqvist, at this point in his career, is more of a puck-stopper, according to Smith.
“What is amazing is how well he tracks the puck,” Smith said. “He is continually big in the net.”
When Lundqvist led Sweden to a 3-2 victory over Finland to win the gold in Turin, he elevated his experience level way beyond that of a normal NHL rookie.
“Every experience helps you when you are playing, but particularly a goaltender, when you have to have tremendous focus,” Smith said.
“They have to let things go quickly. If they make a mistake or they let a puck go by them, they have to let it go [mentally]. They can’t be like a defenseman or a forward and stew about it for a while. They have to let it go and refocus.
“Playing for the gold medal – especially as a European – is just as big a feat as playing for the Stanley Cup, if not more. It is a tremendous advantage for him to have played in that type of stressful tournament.”
The former GM also said the pressure for Lundqvist probably won’t even come close to the Olympics – even though these will be the Rangers’ first playoffs since 1997.
“The situation that he has already been through, he is not going to face a situation that stressful again unless they are able to get past the first three teams,” Smith said.
Saturday, Rangers at Devils 3 p.m. , NBC
