NHL
Red Wings Defenseman Could Retire by the End of the Season.
Niklas Kronwall has been one of the highlights of the Red Wings defense for many years. A career spanning 14 seasons, all with Detroit, shows he has the tenacity and what it takes to be an NHL defenseman. Unfortunately, Kronwall stated that he could retire by the end of the season. In addition, this season is the last of his current seven-year deal, and there have been no talks about an extension
Kronwall’s Career Overview
Niklas Kronwall was selected 29th overall in the 2000 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. He would not start in the Red Wings lineup until 2003 where he played 20 games. That season, he piled up only five points. He would not go below that total for the rest of his illustrious career. He would play 27 games, notching nine points, the following year due to a knee injury. Kronwall would finally become a staple in the Red Wings in 2006, playing 68 games, notching 22 points. However, he would only score one goal that season. That same year, he would win gold with Sweeden at both the Olympics and the World Championships. In 2008, he would win the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings, becoming one of the only players to win a Stanley Cup, and gold in the Olympics and World Championships. The following season, he would hit a career high in points with 51 in 80 games, scoring six goals and assisting on 45. In 2012, he would finally play his first full regular season, scoring a career-high 15 goals. Unfortunately, he would not play an entire regular season for the rest of his career. The closest he would get to that would be in 2015 where he played 80 games. On the bright side, he was involved in playoff hockey for all of his careers except the past two seasons. He would play in 109 playoff games, notching 47 points.
Kronwall currently has over 400 points and played in 874 games, all with the Detroit Red Wings.
Follow Joey on Twitter: @JoeyGanzi
