Sports
Hockey Hall of Famer spreading awareness on heart condition that forced him into early retirement
In late 2020, Henrik Lundqvist had some gas left in the tank and was all set to put on an unfamiliar hockey sweater to extend his career just a bit longer.
After spending 15 seasons with the New York Rangers, “King Hank” signed a one-year deal with the Washington Capitals ahead of the 2020-2021 season.
But with a month left until the season began, Lundqvist had open-heart surgery in January 2021 due to a leaky aortic valve.
Lundqvist returned to practice a month later, but the surgery did not cure his heart issues. While getting ready for his on-ice return with the Caps, Lundqvist had “flare-ups” in his heart. Ultimately, he was diagnosed with recurrent pericarditis, which left him in “a lot of pain” that was “affecting my everyday life.”
Knowing the risks, he decided to call it a career.
“It definitely didn’t end the way I planned it to. … It’s a big day when you make that decision,” Lundqvist told Fox News Digital in a recent interview about his decision to hang up the pads.
Sure, Lundqvist was certainly on the last leg of his career, but he didn’t exactly end it on his own terms. As he puts it, “That first year of retirement was hard.”
But nearly four years since his surgery, Lundqvist, in some ways, sees the diagnosis as a blessing in disguise.
Looking back, Lundqvist knows he was only meant to wear Ranger blue.
“It was not meant to be for me to continue playing. My last game was as a Ranger, that was the meaning of it all,” said Lundqvist, who does analyst work on MSG Network and TNT.
While it was hard to end his career somewhat involuntarily, the 42-year-old told Fox News Digital he is “at peace” with his decision.
“Instead of wishing for more, I turned around and was extremely grateful for everything I experienced on the ice and how much the game of hockey, what it gave me: memories, friendships and just such a big passion. It really guided me through life. I felt this massive amount of gratitude toward my career and the things I got to do; it was just a reset in life,” he said.
FLYERS COACH JOHN TORTORELLA INVITES FATHER OF JOHNNY GAUDREAU TO TEAM’S PRACTICE: ‘THERAPEUTIC FOR HIM’
Hindsight is also 20/20, considering he is still dealing with scary moments, which would be a nightmare to have while on the ice.
The Hockey Hall of Famer said he has “restrictions” when it comes to physical activity and that he’s had “four or five flare-ups” since his open-heart surgery, including as recently as this summer. His pericarditis isn’t going away anytime soon.
“In that moment, I was not sure if it was the right decision. But looking back, with the amount of flare-ups I’ve had and how it’s been affecting my life, I know it was the right decision, so that feels good,” Lundqvist said.
More than four years since his last NHL game, Lundqvist is taking advantage of the opportunity to tell his story. The Rangers legend, whose No. 30 hangs in the Madison Square Garden rafters, has partnered with Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals to be a part of its latest “Life DisRPted” campaign to raise awareness for pericarditis.
“Pericarditis has really affected my life. I had to retire. But also, since I retired, it has an effect on my life in terms of how active I can be and the setbacks I’ve had, the flare-ups. So, through this campaign, I saw a great opportunity to spread awareness,” Lundqvist said.
“I’ve had a lot of great conversations with their team, how to reach people. A lot of people live with it, but maybe they don’t have a good plan. That’s our goal with this campaign, to really educate people and make sure they get the type of support they need to bring to their doctors. There are a lot of people who maybe don’t know they have RP. For me, when I was diagnosed, I wasn’t sure what was going on. I was just in a lot of pain, it was affecting me in everyday life. So, that’s step one, to get the diagnosis, but from there, you want to have a good game plan.”
“It just resonates with me,” he added. “Athlete or not, your life can be turned upside down no matter who you are. But how do you find happiness and strength in that moment? We all go through things. I think the key is how we respond, how we deal with it. I don’t know if I feel a responsibility, but it’s an opportunity to help people.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
Manchester United confirm Ruben Amorim as new head coach
Manchester United have confirmed Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim as their new head coach.
The Portuguese will start officially on Monday, November 11 with Ruud van Nistelrooy, put in interim charge following Ten Hag’s departure on Monday, set to remain at the helm for upcoming games with Chelsea, PAOK and Leicester City.
Amorim has signed a contract to 2027 with the option of a further year with his first game set to be away at Ipswich Town on November 24.
The composition of Amorim’s backroom staff is yet be confirmed.
The Athletic reported on Thursday that the two clubs had agreed a deal for the 39-year-old to replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked after two and a half years at the club.
The Portuguese financial regulator later confirmed that United have agreed to pay €11million (£9.25m; $11.95m) to release Amorim from his contract earlier than his 30-day notice after face-to-face negotiations in Lisbon led by chief executive Omar Berrada.
Amorim has built a reputation as one of Europe’s most highly-rated young coaches with a track record as an astute tactician and of working well with young players.
He was appointed Sporting head coach in 2020 and won the Primeira Liga title — the club’s first league title in 19 years — in his first full season in charge in 2020-21.
GO DEEPER
Why Manchester United’s Ruben Amorim is one of Europe’s emergent tactical thinkers
Sporting won the league again last season and Amorim has also won the Taca da Liga, the Portuguese League Cup, on two occasions with Sporting and a third time with his previous club, Braga.
This season, Sporting are top of the table with a perfect record of nine wins from nine games, with 30 goals scored and just two against. They also sit eighth in the Champions League’s new-look league phase after two wins and a draw.
Amorim was a contender to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool in the summer before Arne Slot ultimately got the job. He also held talks over replacing David Moyes at West Ham, before later apologising and calling the meeting “a mistake”.
Amorim was keen to ensure a satisfactory departure from Sporting and was conscious of the bond he had established with supporters over his four years in charge.
Speaking ahead of Sporting’s game with Estrela Amadora on Friday night, Amorim refused to divulge too many details of his imminent exit.
“It’s a negotiation between two clubs. It’s never easy. Even with the clauses, it’s never easy. They have to talk,” he told reporters.
“We will have clarification after the game. It will be very clear so it’s one more day after the game tomorrow we will have the decision made.”
Ten Hag’s departure came after Sunday’s loss to West Ham United, which left the Old Trafford club 14th in the Premier League.
He was appointed in April 2022 and went on to lead United to the Carabao Cup in his first season in charge as well as the FA Cup in May.
The former Ajax head coach was retained by the United hierarchy in the summer following an end-of-season review but only after they had sounded out a number of potential replacements.
Despite having his contract extended in June and the club spending approximately £205m, including add-ons, on new players, Ten Hag departed after winning just four of United’s 14 games this season.
GO DEEPER
Key meeting, Welbeck request and Amorim plan – inside Manchester United’s manager change
Why has Amorim been so in demand?
Analysis by senior data analyst Mark Carey
Ruben Amorim is a manager that has been linked with his fair share of jobs in recent months, and you can understand why the 39-year-old is in demand.
Amorim guided Sporting to a first league title for 19 years in 2021-22, followed it up with another victory last season, and has nine wins from nine with Sporting sitting pretty at the top of the Primeira Liga this season.
Even accounting for the quality imbalance of the Primeira Liga, a side who boasted, statistically, one of the best attacks (Chance creation, 95 out 99) and the best defences (Chance prevention, 97 out of 99) shows that their manager must be having a positive effect.
Stylistically, Amorim’s 3-4-3 — or more specifically, a 3-4-2-1 — is built on high possession, flexible attacking approaches and a strong defensive foundation.
Last season’s arrival of striker Viktor Gyokeres led to a more transitional, direct style of attack (Patient attack, 49 out of 99). It also highlights Amorim’s ability to maximise his style by adapting to the skill sets of his players.
Amorim has shown his desire to bring young talent into the first team — including Goncalo Inacio, Matheus Nunes, Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Diomande — and has improved the team’s quality with the resources at his disposal.
Bruno Fernandes moved to Manchester United a little over a month before Amorim’s appointment, but Mendes (to Paris Saint-Germain), Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur), Manuel Ugarte (also to PSG) and Joao Palhinha (Fulham) are among the talented players whom Amorim has improved before being sold for high fees.
Title-winning credentials? Tick. Fielding young players? Tick. Improving individual player performance? Tick. There are reasons why Amorim has been so highly sought-after among Europe’s elite.
GO DEEPER
How Manchester United could line up under Amorim: The biggest winners and losers
(Top photo: Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Sports
76ers' Joel Embiid issues explicit, fiery response to critics of his 'load management' after scathing column
The Philadelphia 76ers are being careful with their biggest star, which has rubbed some people the wrong way.
Embiid has yet to play in this young season, his first after signing a three-year, $193 million contract extension, and there has been controversy surrounding his health and availability.
Embiid and the Sixers have been open about his “load management,” both saying it would be unlikely Embiid would play both ends of games on back-to-back nights to preserve his health.
A Philadelphia Inquirer column this week about the controversy was headlined, “Sixers plan to sit Joel Embiid early and often. They should give fans refunds for games without him.” The writer, Marcus Hayes, called Embiid “Mr. 46 Percent” since he’s played in 46% of regular season games since being drafted in 2014. Hayes also described the arrangement as “fraud.”
But when he’s been on the floor, Embiid’s been one of the most dominant forces in the league. He could have won back-to-back MVPs had he stayed healthy last season.
Embiid was asked Friday about how he felt about his usage, and he took it as an opportunity to respond to his critics.
“It was never decided. Like I said, everybody has been on the same page. If your body doesn’t react well and your body tells you one thing, I’ve done it,” Embiid said.
“From what I can tell you, I’ve broken my face twice. I came back early with the risk of losing my vision. I had broken fingers. I still came back. So, I’m not gonna sit here and be like, when I see people saying ‘he doesn’t want to play.’ I’ve been through way too much. I’ve done way too much for this city and putting myself at risk for people to be saying that. So, I do think it’s bulls—.
“Like, that dude, he’s not here. Marcus whatever his name is. I’ve done way too much for this f—ing city to be treated like this. So, I’ve done way too f—ing much. But, like I said, I wish I was as lucky as other ones, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not trying and I’m not doing whatever it takes to be out there, which I’m gonna be here pretty soon.”
The NBA recently fined the Sixers $100,000 due to public statements made about Embiid’s health at the start of the season. The league conducted an investigation into the 76ers after Embiid missed the team’s opening game against the Milwaukee Bucks, which was reportedly a formality due to its player participation policy for nationally televised games.
While the NBA found the 76ers did not violate that policy, it did discipline the team for public comments that did not properly reflect Embiid’s knee issues. The league did conclude that Embiid is dealing with a “left knee condition.”
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
Jaden Jefferson and Cathedral outlast St. Paul for Angelus League crown
Jaden Jefferson let the glee of victory overtake his face as the clock expired. He grinned ear to ear. Winning wasn’t easy Friday night.
The Cathedral quarterback remembered the feeling of struggling as a young team a year ago. And while trailing St. Paul at halftime, that sinking sensation began to creep in.
“I’m talking to [my teammates] on the sideline, all day,” Jefferson said about trying to build momentum despite managing just a field goal in the first half and giving up a touchdown. “I’m just motivating, pushing them. You just got to go.”
He needed to turn the Phantoms’ tide, shift first-half disappointment into second-half success and channel the signal-callers who came before him. Eight years ago, future No. 1 NFL draft pick Bryce Young — a small, dual-threat quarterback himself — helped Catheral take down St. Paul en route to a league crown.
Now, it was Jefferson’s turn. Alongside his uncle, first-year Cathedral coach Vincent Jefferson and his father, offensive coordinator Jabari Jefferson, Jaden continued his sophomore stardom Friday night. His two touchdown passes and 201 all-purpose yards led Cathedral to a scrappy, 16-14 Angelus League title-clinching victory over St. Paul — the Phantoms’ first league title since 2018.
“I’m just extremely excited,” said Jaden, who has 32 total touchdowns. “We worked all year for this. We worked to win the league. Now, playoffs, CIF championships, here we come.”
St. Paul coach Mike Moschetti entered Friday with a goal: He needed to stop Jaden from controlling the game’s flow.
Moschetti made it work, at first. The Swordsmen (6-4, 4-1) slowed the game and had two nine-minute drives to enter the second half ahead, limiting the Phantoms to three drives in the half. However, Cathedral’s second-half adjustments allowed them to take control. Jefferson threw for touchdowns of 10 and 55 yards in the half, lifting Cathedral (9-1, 5-0).
“They were controlling the clock a lot in the first half,” Jefferson said. “We had to go in halftime, make some adjustments up front [and] try to slow them down a little bit to get our dynamic offensive ball back.”
St. Paul made mistakes — the Swordsmen had four personal fouls, including three in Cathedral territory. Despite this, the Swordsmen were in contention to win until the very end.
Junior quarterback Gabriel Castaneda, who scored two rushing touchdowns against Cathedral, drove to the 15-yard line to set up a potential winning field goal — a drive that included a 25-yard completion, his longest of the night.
As kicker Jesse Riperto lined up for a 32-yard attempt, the Cathedral sideline stood quiet.
Riperto’s kick sailed wide left. The game was over.
“That’s not that kid’s fault,” Moschetti said. “In the second half, they put it to us offensively. They shut us down.”
Jefferson darted to his teammates on the field as the ball missed the uprights. The slog of the first half was history and all that mattered was now.
He was an Angelus League champion.
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
Alien Country (2024) – Movie Review
-
Technology1 week ago
OpenAI plans to release its next big AI model by December
-
Health1 week ago
New cervical cancer treatment approach could reduce risk of death by 40%, trial results show
-
Culture1 week ago
Top 45 MLB free agents for 2024-25 with contract predictions, team fits: Will Soto get $600M+?
-
Sports1 week ago
Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam gives Dodgers Game 1 World Series win vs. Yankees
-
News6 days ago
Sikh separatist, targeted once for assassination, says India still trying to kill him
-
Culture6 days ago
Freddie Freeman wallops his way into World Series history with walk-off slam that’ll float forever
-
Technology6 days ago
When a Facebook friend request turns into a hacker’s trap