Dueling Henrik Lundqvist features: Times vs. Sports Illustrated

Versatile · Apr 13, 2012

Ben Shpigel wrote a 3,800-word feature about New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist for last Sunday's New York Times. It ran as the sports centerpiece.

Brian Cazeneuve wrote a 3,100-word feature about New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist for this week's Sports Illustrated. It ran as the cover story.

I just finished Cazeneuve's feature. Both were very good. They were also somewhat different, though each had the same goal. I'll share my thoughts in a bit. I think this is an example of two features competing on an even field. What did you like and dislike about each, and who wrote it best?

Boom_70 · Apr 13, 2012

Read the SI story. Good story but I am not sure if I would have termed Lundqvist the "King of NY" or "Toast of The Town".

The Big Ragu · Apr 13, 2012

Haven't read either story. I will this weekend, since you posted.

Lundqvist had a great, great season. Combine the looks, the attention he got this season and how into the Rangers NY is right now, it's not a stretch at all to call him the Toast of the Town. He's riding pretty high right now.

Versatile · Apr 13, 2012

"Toast of the town" is a bit of an overstatement, if only because the town in question is New York City. Lundqvist takes a back seat to Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Jeremy Lin, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Carmelo Anthony and Alex Rodriguez in terms of New York athlete-celebrity status. But Brian Cazeneuve does a good job backing up Lundqvist's hype with specific examples:

Lundqvist has modeled for photo spreads in Vogue, made an apple dessert on The Martha Stewart Show and made a cameo appearance on Letterman to help with the Top Ten list. ("Who can concentrate on hockey when Jennifer Aniston still hasn't found love?") He is part owner of a cozy and cool restaurant in TriBeCa called Tiny's & the Bar Upstairs. In 2006, PEOPLE named him one of its 100 Most Beautiful People, though his twin missed the list. "Probably 101," Henrik says. Last year, the Garden crowd began razzing teen idol Justin Bieber when his face appeared on the JumboTron while he was sitting courtside at a Knicks game. The jeering ceased, however, when the camera panned to Lundqvist in the next seat. At a benefit concert this year, Lundqvist played guitar alongside John McEnroe in a band called The Noise Upstairs. The event raised more than $48,000 for the Garden of Dreams, which Lundqvist vigorously supports.

And, in addition, you could definitely argue that he's more universally liked than any of those other athletes.

Versatile · Apr 15, 2012

Well, if no one else is going to chime in ...

I enjoyed both pieces a lot. I thought each fit its medium and purpose well. Shpigel went deeper, obviously. His piece was meant as a profile of Henrik Lundqvist, the man. Cazeneuve profiled Henrik Lundqvist, the goalie. I liked the inside-hockey analysis of Lundqvist's playing style and his rivalry with Brodeur a lot in Cazaneuve's story. Shpigel explained how he developed that style, though. And he explained his personality better.

I preferred Shpigel's story. But it wouldn't have fit in the context of Sports Illustrated.