Martin Biron recalls time Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist ‘looked like he had lost a part of his soul’
Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Biron formed a top goaltending tandem in the NHL with the New York Rangers for three seasons, beginning in 2010-11. Along the way, they forged a close friendship, one that stands to this day.
In 2011-12, Lundqvist and Biron were at the height of their powers. It was Biron’s second season as Lundqvist’s backup on Broadway, and the Rangers finished first in the Metropolitan Division with 109 points, two behind the Vancouver Canucks for the Presidents’ Trophy.
Those “Black and Blueshirts” coached by John Tortorella relied on tight defense, fearless shot blocking and stout goaltending. Lundqvist and Biron did their part, leading the Rangers to the third-best team goals-against average in the NHL (2.22). Lundqvist won the Vezina Trophy as top NHL goalie that season and Biron was 12-6-2 with a 2.46 GAA in 21 games (20 starts) as the No. 2.
Which made the season’s ending all the more painful. After Game 7 wins over the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Rangers were eliminated by their Hudson River rivals, New Jersey Devils, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final.
You might remember. Adam Henrique 1:03 into overtime.
“The Adam Henrique goal (in 2012) in overtime Game 6 in the conference final … I remember looking at [Lundqvist] in the locker room and he was absolutely crushed,” Biron told Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast. “There were a lot of players in that locker room that were crushed, but he looked like he had lost a part of his soul. He was a winner in my book because he was such a competitor, but it was emotional, it was personal for him. Losing in Game 6 to the Devils that year was significant.”
Lundqvist’s intensity was legendary. It’s what was the driving force behind his brilliant career and ultimately helped him land in the Hockey Hall of Fame. It was the backbone to his relentless work ethic and will to win.
It’s also what made that loss to the Devils so soul crushing for him.
Over the years, Biron learned when to pick his spots with Lundqvist during a game, whether or not to talk to him about what he was seeing from the bench when Lundqvist was playing.
“He did let me talk to him once in a while, certain moments. But I also knew if he put the towel over his head in between periods, I went for a walk. I would give him his space,” Biron explained. “If he wanted to talk or if he wanted to go over certain things, he would ask and we would talk. But most times it was towel over his head and he’s focused. So, I would go hang out in the trainer’s room.”
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Martin Biron, Henrik Lundqvist became ‘airplane buddies,’ good friends with Rangers
That’s just one of the nuances of their relationship that Biron had to navigate. In fact, the relationship itself was something Biron, five years older than Lundqvist, had to figure out that first season.
Biron signed as a free agent in the 2010 offseason. He was coming off a season splitting goaltending duties on Long Island with the Islanders, though had been a No. 1 for years before that with the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers.
The veteran knew his role coming to Broadway. Lundqvist was established already as one of the best goalies in the NHL and was in the prime of his career. Things weren’t so clear cut with Lundqvist, though.
“Look, two years before that, I was the starting goalie for the Flyers playing against Henrik, in those matchups Rangers against Flyers I was the guy at one end, he was the guy at the other end,” Biron offered. “Then I had the year with the Islanders, and I came into the Rangers and I knew what my role was, I knew what I was coming in to do — being Henrik’s backup and supporting him.
“I don’t know that he knew that in the sense that the 2009-10 season, they lose the last game in a shootout to the Flyers (and missed the playoffs), and it wasn’t the best of seasons for Henrik. So, I come in and I think he thought ‘Who’s this guy? Is he trying to steal my job here? Is he trying to make a comeback?’ Not that he ever said that.”
In Biron’s words, he and Lundqvist were “partners” his first season in New York — and each thrived, played well, and helped the Rangers get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Then came 2011-12.
“The very first road trip where we got on the plane, I remember thinking ‘OK, where am I going to sit on the plane this year?’ And I walked in and there’s a seat open right next to Hank and that was Marc Staal’s seat. But Marc didn’t start the season because he had the concussion the year before. So, I said to Hank, ‘Is this open?’ and he said ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ And I sat with him on the plane the whole season and we watched TV shows together and watched movies together, and we talked about the games.”
They went from partners to friends.
“We stayed airplane buddies and we’d drive together (to practice) because my third year (with the Rangers) I moved into the city and I was literally two blocks from Hank’s place,” Biron said. “So, I would drive him to the practice rink or to the airport. But it took a year to build that up. That chemistry and relationship between goalies is very important. We’re seeing it with [Jonathan] Quick and [Igor] Shesterkin, and that’s great. … I think when you find it, it’s special, and we had something special in New York for sure.”
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