No One Could Play like Henrik

In retrospect, it was not the best or brightest question, but there was an upside to asking Cam Talbot about working with Henrik Lundqvist and New York Rangers goaltending coach Benoit Allaire eight years ago and somewhat stupidly noting he didn’t play like the King.

“No one can play like Henrik,” Talbot replied politely.

Which brings us to Lundqvist’s retirement and what it sure to be an emotional night at Madison Square Garden on Friday, when his No. 30 is retired to the rafters, never to be worn by another Rangers player. For all the talk about Lundqvist’s place among the all-time greats that wore that sweater, it’s worth asking whether we’ll ever see another goalie like him in the NHL?

Talbot, who will be there for the jersey retirement with the Minnesota Wild, doesn’t think so.

“There’s things that I believe won’t be done again,” Talbot wrote in a text message to InGoal Magazine Thursday. “The biggest thing is the depth that he felt comfortable at his size. He was so quick laterally and his read of the release was so good he could play deep enough that always allowed him at least a chance at making the second save. Most goalies his size continue to play somewhere around the top of crease if not further out depending on the situation. I don’t think Hank ever stepped outside the top of his crease unless it was a breakaway!”

There are other elements that make Lundqvist stand out, even among his peers atop the NHL all-time wins and all-time greats list, especially when it comes to his meticulous attention to detail with his equipment and some of the innovations that came with that. But ad Talbot pointed out all those years ago, and again before the retirement ceremony, don’t overlook the uniqueness of how — and where in the crease — he played as a 6-foot-1 goalie.