Marc Staal was Henrik Lundqvist’s regular teammate throughout the goalkeeprs 15 seasons with the New York Rangers, where he played 767 regular-season games from 2007 to 2010.

Staal, who is in his second season as a defender with the Detroit Red Wings, said his admiration for the Lundqvist, who retired on Aug. 2021, and what he meant to him and the Rangers over the years has grown since they parted ways.

“What I appreciate now more than ever is just the consistency of having him there,” Staal stated. “He was your goalie. You knew he was going to play well. There was never even a thought or worry or concern about your goalie. Having that comfort level for all those years, that’s pretty rare. Looking back on it, we were lucky.”

Others who played with Lundqvist for a substantial portion of those 15 seasons, all for New York, recall his tenacity, reliability, competitive drive, and voracious desire to win as the qualities that motivated him to be the Rangers’ winningest goalkeeper and a potential Hockey Hall of Famer.

Lundqvist ranks sixth in NHL history with 459 victories, ninth with 887 games played, and 17th with 17 shutouts (64). Among the 78 goalies who have played at least 500 NHL games, he ranks fourth in save percentage (.918) and ninth in goals-against average (2.43).