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Niklas Kronwall

Niklas Kronwall
Niklas Kronwall 2012.png
Born (1981-01-12) 12 January 1981 (age 36)
, Sweden
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team Detroit Red Wings
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft 29th overall, 2000
Detroit Red Wings
Playing career 1999–present
Website kronwall55.com
Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Gold medal – first place 2006 Turin
Silver medal – second place 2014 Sochi
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2006
Silver medal – second place 2003

Niklas Kronwall (born 12 January 1981) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is one of the 26 members in the Triple Gold Club. Kronwall started his career in Järfälla HC in Sweden, and has played internationally for the Sweden. In the NHL, Kronwall has gained notoriety for being an open ice hitter, and the phrase "being Kronwalled" was coined to describe his signature back-pedaling hits. In 2008 he won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings.

I know one scout who tried to bring up Niklas Kronwall's name with his team. They just laughed at him. They never even had a serious dialogue. They just stopped him. They said 'a 5-11 Swedish defenceman?' [The Red Wings] organization is more open-minded than that.

Kronwall was selected in the first round, 29th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. He continued to play for Djurgårdens IF until he came to North America in 2003. He played 20 games for Detroit in the 2003–04 season, scoring one goal and four assists for five points, to go along with 16 penalty minutes.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Kronwall played a complete season for the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings' top affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). He notched 13 goals and 40 assists in 76 games while also playing a solid defense. For his efforts, Kronwall was awarded the Eddie Shore Award as the top defenceman in the AHL.


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Wikipedia

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