King Henrik will forever be enshrined in the rafters of Madison Square Garden.
The New York Rangers retired legendary goaltender Henrik Lundqvist's No. 30 jersey Friday night. He's the 11th player in franchise history to have his number retired.
"The highs were high but the lows were low, and there was not much in between," Lundqvist said during the ceremony. "And that's how I chose to live my life for the past 20 years and 15 here in New York, it never really changed.
"Playing well and trying to help the team to win - that was so important to me."
He added: "While I reflect on my time here in New York - everything I experienced, the people I've met, and what the game has given me - I keep coming back to one feeling, and that's gratitude. I feel so grateful for everything this organization has given me, supporting me and my family."
The 39-year-old announced his retirement from the NHL in August after 15 seasons, all of which he spent backstopping the Rangers. He retired as the franchise leader in both regular-season and playoff wins, shutouts, and games played.
Lundqvist didn't capture a Stanley Cup during his time with the Rangers, but he came close on a number of occasions. He helped the team reach the 2014 Stanley Cup Final and put together many other promising playoff runs.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury, who was once Lundqvist's teammate, commended the Swede on Friday, saying he was a perfect example of what it means to be a Ranger.
"You want to be like Hank. His desire, determination, will to win," Drury said, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "His dedication to his craft, along with his talent and skill level. His commitment to this community and this city. He is, for me, the gold standard for what a New York Ranger is, and what a New York Ranger should be for this generation of players."
Lundqvist finished his career with a 459-310-96 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.43 goals-against average. He captured one Vezina Trophy in 2012 and was nominated for the award five times. He also led Team Sweden to a gold medal at the 2006 Olympic Games and a silver in 2014.
