Hockey Hall of Famer spreading awareness on heart condition that forced him into early retirement

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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.

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New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports)

"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