The hockey world reacts to the Lundqvist news

The hockey world responded to the news about the former New York Rangers great

If there is any indication of how the hockey world respects Henrik Lundqvist, it came mostly  in the form of social media.  Quick to respond was Gary Bettman who issued a statement for the NHL.

"“While we are all saddened as hockey fans that we will not be able to watch Henrik tend goal for the Capitals this season, we are also thankful that he will be getting the necessary medical care to deal with his heart condition. Henrik is a beloved player across the NHL and throughout his native Sweden and a wonderful ambassador for the game. We wish him and his family well.” – NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman"

The NHL tweeted out the statement shortly after the announcement from Lundqvist.

The Washington Capitals issued this statement:

Teams from throughout the NHL were quick to salute their rival with the Carolina Hurricanes the first.  it’s notable since Lundqvist “owned” the Canes throughout his career with the Rangers.

Other teams followed suit.

Montreal Canadiens: “Our thoughts are with you, Henrik. ”

Vegas Golden Knights: “Hope to see you healthy again real soon, stay strong .”

Ottawa Senators:  “Wishing you the best Henrik and we hope to see you back on the ice in the future!”

Anaheim Ducks: ” Wishing you the best.”

Colorado Avalanche:  “Stay strong, Henrik. We hope to see you on the ice soon.”

Los Angeles Kings:  “Our thoughts are with you, Henrik. We hope to see you back on the ice in the future.”

Toronto Maple Leafs:  “Wishing you the best, Henrik. Our thoughts are with you.”

Detroit Red Wings:  “Get well soon … Our thoughts are with you.”

Florida Panthers:  “A class act and a great competitor. We hope to see you back on the ice soon, Henrik.”

As always, the Rangers themselves were slow to respond, finally tweeting out a message to Lundqvist almost three hours after Lundqvist’s announcement.

Ever the social media maven, Tony DeAngelo was faster to react.

This tweet came from the owner of the Washington Capitals:

It was not just hockey teams.  Manufacturer CCM tweeted “Get well soon, Henrik. Looking forward to seeing you back on the ice one day soon.”

Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals tweeted: “We’re with you man…All the best moving forward with your health and I hope we can share the ice again at some point!”

But it wasn’t just teams and players.  Hundreds (soon to be thousands) of fans have weighed in.  Not just Ranger fans either as kudos have poured in from fans throughout the world who have appreciated Lundqvist’s excellence.  Ranger fans predictably were every emotional, but the number of fans from opposing teams who have expressed their respect for Lundqvist is impressive.

Expect much more of the same as the news spreads about Lundqvist, but this is just a sample of the comments in the hours after unexpected announcement.