Exclusive | Henrik Lundqvist reflects on Igor Shesterkin-Rangers contract drama he once faced

Life after a 15-year run as the franchise goalie of the New York Rangers is still as busy as ever for Henrik Lundqvist.

The King, now 42, is nearly five years removed from his last NHL game, but he continues to be honored for his accomplishments during his decorated career in New York.

On Monday night, Lundqvist will attend the 39th annual Great Sports Legends Dinner at the New York Hilton in Midtown.

Alongside some of sports most prominent figures such as NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnnson, World Series champion Roger Clemens, NFL Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez, NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton and others, Lundqvist said he looks forward to a special night benefiting the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.

“I really enjoy life right now, the things I’m doing,” Lundqvist told The Post over the phone Sunday, the serenity in his voice unmistakable.

Not too long ago, however, Lundqvist was in the same spot that the Rangers’ current star goalie, Igor Shesterkin, is in now: going into the final year of his contract, without an extension and with the expectation of becoming the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL.

Asked what he remembered from that time, the 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee echoed a similar sentiment to the one Shesterkin had when he fielded questions about it at the start of training camp.

“As an athlete, you focus on the sports side of things, that’s it,” Lundqvist said. “It is a business, but you just need to set that aside and focus on what you need to do. That’s it. You let your team take care of whatever needs to be taken care of.”

Lundqvist eventually signed a seven-year, $59.5 million contract in December 2013 to become the highest-paid netminder in the league at the time with a cap hit of $8.5 million.

A lot has changed since then.

The cap has gone up.

The goalie market looks a lot different.

And the largest contract for a goalie now belongs to the Montreal Canadiens’ Carey Price at $10.5 million per year.

Though the pressures and expectations that come with breaking the record — which Shesterkin is expected to do when he signs — will always remain the same.

“I think you set a standard for yourself,” said Lundqvist, who will be featured on MSG for select games again this season. “You put a certain amount of pressure on yourself, so it doesn’t matter. You want to be up there and you put the money aside, it’s more about performance and accomplishing what you want to accomplish. That pressure you put on yourself, that’s what really matters.”

That was a different era of Lundqvist’s life, which is now centered around just living, his family and causes he holds dear.

Plus, Lundqvist has had some fun attending the U.S. Open, seeing Pearl Jam at MSG and teaming up with his brother, Joel, to rep outdoor sports outfitter RevolutionRace.

The King of New York doesn’t just stop being the King of New York, especially when it comes to high-profile events or a fashion moment.

But partnering with charitable causes has taken on a new meaning for Lundqvist since he underwent surgery to address a dysfunctional bicuspid aortic valve in his heart in 2020.

He this summer finished a campaign for the Heart and Lung Association in Sweden, during which he also partnered with Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals to raise awareness for recurrent pericarditis — the condition that caused swelling and irritation around his heart and ultimately forced him to retire.

There are more health-centered initiatives to be announced in the near future, as well.

“When you are faced with a health challenge, you definitely reflect on it,” Lundqvist said. “I think it’s definitely something you maybe take for granted a lot of the time, your health. Especially as an athlete, you fight through it and things happen along the way that you have to adjust your mindset and maybe adjust your lifestyle a little bit. So, of course, I feel a little extra when it comes to health stuff and feeling good.”