Henrik Lundqvist’s Best Gear Set-Ups Through The Years
This week, it was announced that Henrik Lundqvist will wear #35 for the Washington Capitals next season, going back to the number he sported back in Sweden for Frolunda HC. He also wore the number during some international tournaments and once in the 2009 All-Star game — which leaves me to believe he would have worn it in New York if it weren’t retired for Rangers legend and Stanley Cup winner Mike Richter.
One of the best things about being a goalie in hockey is picking your gear setup. When Henrik Lundqvist landed in New York, he brought with him a sense of style on and off the ice that fit the city like a (goalie) glove. Lundqvist has been at the forefront of goalie gear technology his entire career, developing and wearing some of Bauer Hockey’s earliest digitally printed designs on their leg pads and gloves.
Early in Hank’s career, including during his time in Sweden, he primarily wore TPS pads and gloves until the company was bought by Sher-Wood in 2008. The TPS designs resulted in some the finest gear of Lundqvist’s career, particularly in the ’08-’09 season:
The following season brought these beauties, with just enough color to work with both the home and away jerseys:
They even looked great when Lundqvist was selected for the All-Star team for the first time, and the Eastern Conference sported red and blue jerseys that seemed to match perfectly:
This would be the final set of TPS pads Hank would wear, as the following season he became the face of Bauer Hockey, which in my opinion, has consistently produced the nicest goalie pads since the ’90s. For the 2010-11 season, Lundqvist would wear these:
Over the next few seasons, Bauer would maintain this design with slight changes to color fillings and details, making it their premiere design for their showcase goalies. But for the 2012 Winter Classic, Lundqvist would up his game and wear maybe his nicest setup to date:
Everything from the off-white base to the color balance and design, and down to the mask is near perfect for this setup. Hank would wear a near-identical version of these pads the rest of that season, subbing the navy blue and off-white for the famous Rangers blue and clean white:
The Bauer redesigns after this style proved to be rather dull over the next few seasons, minimizing both color and design. But Bauer would push the envelope come 2016, eventually developing digitally printed designs. Hank’s first set incorporated his now-signature “blades” design, which would start on his mask a season or two earlier:
2017 would see another digital redesign, which was showcased beautifully (if not a missed opportunity) for the 2018 Winter Classic. Lundqvist shared a photo of the pads he had designed for the game on his Instagram, but would eventually wear a set he had previously worn that season, with a slight, added alteration of a bridge and NYR crest, with a blue that wasn’t quite a match for the Rangers gorgeous retro, navy blue jersey design. And for his last season as a Ranger, he would land here:
Between the Lady Liberty face split between the pads, and the sharp diagonal lines of color diving into the design, it’s a great concept — no doubt — but ultimately not my favorite set Hank’s ever sported. In my opinion, Bauer’s digital designs are a few years off from being spectacular.
As for honorable mentions, I’d be remiss if I failed to touch on the part replica, part tribute Mike Richter mask he wore during a game at the Garden, before which the ’94 Rangers were honored. Hank has gone through dozens of masks during his tenure with the Rangers, including a Michael J. Fox, Back To The Future-style mask. It was one of many game-worn masks that would eventually be auctioned off for charity.
One cool detail about Hank’s international gear is he would use the identical mask or pads he’d used that season for the Rangers, and have them painted or altered to match the Swedish royal and gold of the international tournament uniforms. Here’s a look at some of those set-ups:
It will be interesting to see Hank wearing new gear next year, given that his latest setup heavily featured Lady Liberty and the NYC skyline on both his mask and pads. Although the colors are similar, it will be an adjustment for all to see Hank sporting the D.C. threads next year, but when he does show us his gear choices, you can always count on it being cutting edge and sharp.
Featured image: “Henrik Lundqvist” by Robert Kowal is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0