Henrik Lundqvist on his Olympic experiences
Lundqvist has a vivid memory of his first Olympic experience.
“I remember walking into the Village for the first time and seeing all these athletes. It was just a lot to take in,” he told Olympics.com. Sweden’s roster in 2006 was essentially a list of idols for the young Swedish goaltender, including the likes of Mats Sundin, Peter Forsberg, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Daniel Alfredsson.
“The combination of getting an opportunity to play for your country at the biggest stage with some players that you looked up to, and in the end winning that year, it was just a dream come true.”
It was an interesting mixture of generations, a passing of the torch of sorts, Lundqvist explained. The established core, perhaps on its final Olympic run, played alongside the next wave in Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Henrik Zetterberg and Lundqvist himself.
The tournament ultimately ended in gold, despite the tournament not unfolding cleanly. Sweden lost 5-0 to Russia in group play, but Lundqvist believes this moment helped them snap the Tre Kronor into focus.
“When you go into a tournament, and you get a setback, it’s a good opportunity to go over all the details within your game as a group and personally,” he said. “From there, I felt like we just got better.”
And they did.
A 7-3 semi-final victory over the [then] Czech Republic set up a final against Finland, a rivalry layered with both history and proximity. “It was exciting and nerve-racking at the same time,” he said of facing their rivals in the Olympic final. “We knew we had a pretty good chance of winning, but at the same time, one game, you need a few bounces to go your way.”
Sweden won with a narrow margin, 3-2. “Finland had a bunch of opportunities. They were really pushing. We played well as a team. I had to make a few saves, too.”
When the final buzzer went off, and Lundqvist realised they had become Olympic champions, it was, as he described, “pure excitement and happiness”.
From there, his memories are blurred. He remembers the team dinner, and exhaustion setting in. A flight to Stockholm and a celebration with thousands of fans who had lived the moment from afar. “To share that with so many people that supported the team, the nation, that was a great experience.”
Two Olympics followed, each bringing its own lessons.
There was the first unmatched high of gold (2006), the frustration of leaving without a medal (2010), and the bittersweet pride of returning to the podium, albeit standing one step lower (2014).
With one gold, one silver, and one Games missing the podium altogether, one might argue that Lundqvist has experienced every possible range of Olympic emotion over these years.
“In sports, you learn to deal with the ups and downs,” Lundqvist said when asked how these experiences have shaped him.
“Every Olympics is different. You grow with the experiences. To me, it’s the memories that you create. You take the good stuff, but also the tough situations, and learn from it.”