Will be 'months' before Henrik Lundqvist decides on future

Lundqvist took to Twitter on Thursday to offer an update on his health and playing status. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Will be 'months' before Capitals' Henrik Lundqvist decides on future

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 2/25/21

Washington Capitals goaltender Henrik Lundqvist recently returned to the ice following open-heart surgery required to repair a heart condition that caused him to opt out of the 2020-21 NHL season.

The veteran who turns 39 years old on March 2 took to Twitter on Thursday to offer an update on his health and playing status:

Going to the rink this week has been very rewarding. My health is obviously my No.1 priority. It will be months before I can make any decisions regarding my future after more tests/convos with Doctors. The one thing I do know with 100% certainty is that I still love the game.
— Henrik Lundqvist (@hlundqvist35) February 25, 2021

Lundqvist spent his first 15 NHL seasons with the New York Rangers and then signed with the Capitals in October. He was set to serve as a backup before he confirmed on Dec. 17 that he would be unable to play because of his heart, and he then had surgery in January.

Some speculated that a video of Lundqvist saving shots that he shared via social media this week offered some indication he was considering attempting to play for Washington either during the regular season or the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, his latest tweet suggests no announcement on his playing future will be made before the summer months.

Lundqvist would be considered high risk for COVID-19, so it's understandable he'd remain cautious heading into spring.

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