WASHINGTON — Henrik Lundqvist is abandoning a long-shot attempt to return from open-heart surgery in time to play for the Washington Capitals this season after a checkup last week showed some inflammation.
Lundqvist tweeted Sunday that the inflammation around his heart requires a few months of rest and recovery.
The 39-year-old goaltender had set the goal for himself of trying to join the Capitals before the end of the season.
"Training has been going really well and I’ve been feeling good — but my heart isn’t quite ready," Lundqvist posted on Twitter. "While it’s not what I hoped for, I know this is all part of the process of getting back to 100%.