New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist traded in his goalie stick for a ping-pong paddle Wednesday at New York's Madison Square Park.
Lundqvist took part in a ping-pong tournament that pitted many athletes against one another at the Delta Open, a public event in which fans won prizes courtesy of Delta Airlines. Lundqvist was matched up against athletes such as tennis star Serena Williams, New York Knicks star and rapper Iman Shumpert, and New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner.
A video of Lundqvist playing table tennis at the event can be seen here.
"A few years back, I played a lot [of ping-pong]. My last few years, I haven't really played that much [lately]," Lundqvist said per NHL.com. "But we do have a table at the rink. My first few years, we did have a few tournaments every year. For some reason, we stopped. Maybe it's time to pick it up again."
Lundqvist, 31, has established himself as one of the NHL's premiere goalies and has been the backbone of the Rangers in recent years. His six-year $41.25 million contract is due to expire at the end of the 2013-14 hockey season, making Lundqvist eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next July.
The Blueshirts are hoping that Lundqvist never makes the free agent market and have been in ongoing discussions over working out a long-term deal, but the Swedish native said length and numbers aren't everything that he's focused on.
According to New York's Newsday, Lundqvist said it's about more than money and he's more concerned with who the team puts around him.
"I love it here, I really do," Lundqvist told NHL.com. "There's a few things we have to discuss, but like I keep telling everyone, I've had such a great time in New York with the way the fans have treated me and with the challenge to be here, I just love that part. We'll see what happens, but it will be fun to stay."
In eight seasons with the Rangers, Lundqvist has made his mark on New York City. His 276 victories between the pipes trail only Mike Richter by 25 on the team's all-time list and his 45 shutouts are second to Ed Giacomin.
Last season, Lundqvist put up a 24-16-3 record in 43 games during the lockout-shortened season while posting a 2.05 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. In each of his other seven seasons with New York, all full seasons, Lundqvist won at least 30 games. Lundqvist won the Vezina trophy, awarded to the NHL's best goaltender, in 2011-12 with a 39-18-5 record through 62 games and put up a 1.97 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.
Rangers open up training camp Sept. 11 under new head coach Alain Vigneault after former coach John Tortorella was fired this past offseason, but Lundqvist is ready to put the second-round playoff loss to the Boston Bruins in five games last year in the Eastern Conference semi-finals behind them.
Lundqvist enters the 2013-14 campaign hoping to lead the Rangers to the team's first Stanley Cup since 1994 and to possibly his second gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi where he will represent Sweden.
"Every time you go into a new season, you hope this is going to be the year," Lundqvist said per NHL.com. "That this is going to be the special year. I really believe we can have a great year. I look at the team and the players we have, I definitely think we have a great chance of doing something special. We do need everybody to play their absolute best. Hopefully we can continue building on the last two years."
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