King Hank may have left the building, but his legacy will remain there forever.

In a flurry of announcements and emotion, long-time New York Rangers' goaltender Henrik Lundqvist announced on Twitter this morning that he was walking away from the game of hockey after 30 years playing the game. Here's the English announcement:

Without missing a beat, the New York Rangers acknowledged the retirement, and made an announcement of their own, declaring they would retire Lundqvist's No. 30 to the Madison Square Garden rafters during the upcoming season. Here's the team's statement:

It brings to an end an illustrious career, one filled with masterful performances, game-saving stops, and a number of "what could've been" moments for the team that played in front of him.

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Newsday's Andrew Gross joined me on 'The Drive' this afternoon, and we spoke at length about Lundqvist. He gave a very unique perspective on the netminder, having covered him as a player, and interviewed him multiple times. He praised Hank's leadership qualities, as he was always a person that could speak on behalf of the team, and would always be very honest when blame needed to be placed on himself.

For me, growing up during the prime of Henrik Lundqvist's career, there were few players that I enjoyed watching play more than him. That said, there were few goaltenders that I dreaded watching play against the Bruins more than him, as well. He always played with his heart on his sleeve, and often stole games for the Rangers throughout his career.

It's a no-brainer that the Rangers have chosen to retire Lundqvist's jersey, as no Rangers goalie will ever compare to what King Hank brought to the club both on and off the ice.

Congratulations, Henrik, on an incredible career!

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