from Steve Zipay of Newsday,

More than 800 regular-season and playoff games and a locker full of records and endorsements later, Lundqvist has witnessed the game’s latest transformation from a net-front perch.

“When I entered the league [in 2005-06], it was still big and strong [players],” he said. “In the last three, four years, there’s a lot more shorter players. It’s about skating, it’s about speed, it’s about balance and skill. The rules changes helped, there’s a lot less holding, grabbing, hooking [allowed]. So it’s a faster game for sure, a lot of odd-man rushes, that’s really where you get hurt, but that’s also where you cash in.”

The new generation — think of the 24-and-under Team North America squad in the World Cup and dazzling players such as Vladimir Tarasenko and rookie Patrick Laine — has made goaltending tougher.

“It’s more challenging,” said Lundqvist, who won the Vezina Trophy in 2011-12. “They can shoot better, and in one-on-one situations against top players, they can pick the corners. You need to be square, you need to read the situation quicker. It’s challenging, but fun.”

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