Henrik Lundqvist Returns to Italy Two Decades After Winning Olympic Gold

Two decades after winning the Olympic gold with Sweden on Italian soil, Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist returns to the country for the Milan Cortina Games and reflects on his journey to hockey's greatest prize.

Sep 25, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Team Sweden goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) looks to play the puck against Team Europe during the first period of a semifinal game in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Twenty years ago, Henrik Lundqvist suited up for his Olympic debut in Turin in 2006 and left Italy an Olympic champion. The 23-year-old Swedish goaltender backstopped his country to gold in what would become the first chapter of a storied international career.

Lundqvist returned to the Games twice more after that golden run. He finished fifth with Sweden in Vancouver in 2010 before earning a silver medal in Sochi in 2014, the last Olympic Winter Games to feature NHL players before the Milano Cortina 2026 tournament.

By then, Lundqvist had become one of hockey's premier netminders and the long-time backbone of the New York Rangers. His legacy has since been formalized with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2023 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2025.

A Village Full of Idols

"I remember walking into the Village for the first time and seeing all these athletes. It was just a lot to take in," Lundqvist told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview in Milan.

Sweden's roster in 2006 read like a list of idols for the young goaltender.

Mats Sundin, Peter Forsberg, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Daniel Alfredsson all wore the Tre Kronor alongside him during that tournament.

"The combination of getting an opportunity to play for your country at the biggest stage with some players that you looked up to, and in the end winning that year, it was just a dream come true," he said.

The tournament featured an interesting mixture of generations. The established core, perhaps on its final Olympic run, played alongside the next wave in Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Henrik Zetterberg and Lundqvist himself.

Feb 23, 2014; Sochi, RUSSIA; Sweden goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) makes a save against Canada in the men's ice hockey gold medal game during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games at Bolshoy Ice Dome. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images | Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Setback Sparked the Run

The path to gold was not without obstacles. Sweden suffered a 5-0 loss to Russia during group play, but Lundqvist believes that setback helped snap the team into focus.

"When you go into a tournament, and you get a setback, it's a good opportunity to go over all the details within your game as a group and personally," he said. "From there, I felt like we just got better."

Sweden responded with a 7-3 semifinal victory over the Czech Republic before facing Finland for gold. The Nordic rivals met in a tense final that Sweden won 3-2.

"It was exciting and nerve-racking at the same time," Lundqvist said of facing Finland.

"We knew we had a pretty good chance of winning, but at the same time, in one game, you need a few bounces to go your way."

When the final buzzer sounded, Lundqvist described the feeling as "pure excitement and happiness." A flight to Stockholm followed, where thousands of fans celebrated the moment they had lived from afar.

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