Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall announced his retirement Tuesday after 15 NHL seasons. He will join Detroit's front office staff as an advisor to general manager Steve Yzerman.
Kronwall and the Red Wings made the announcement via a video on Twitter in which Kronwall thanks the organization, its training staff, his family, teammates and fans. Kronwall also reflects on a career spent entirely with the Red Wings.
"I got drafted by Detroit in the year 2000," said Kronwall, the 29th overall pick in the 2000 NHL Draft. "Three years later, I got to wear the jersey for the first time. It was an incredible honor knowing all the history and all the great players that have worn that very same jersey before me.”
As one chapter ends, another begins.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 3, 2019
Thank you, Nik. pic.twitter.com/G2vNzBMDAx
Over the 38-year-old Swede's career, he scored 83 goals and recorded 349 assists. He was regularly featured as a top-four defenseman on outstanding Red Wings teams that included legendary players such as Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. Detroit made the postseason for 25 consecutive years from 1990-91 to 2015-16. Though Kronwall did not appear in the playoffs in 2004, he spent most of his career helping keep the Red Wings competitive in the later years of the dynastic run.
No. 55 gained notoriety as one of hockey's most efficient — and clean — body checkers, often stepping up the ice to hit unsuspecting forwards as they carried the puck out of their own zone in open ice. These types of hits were well-known enough that they were affectionately nicknamed 'Kronwalled' by fans and broadcasters around the league.
Moving forward, Kronwall will advise Yzerman as the latter embarks on his first full season at the helm in Detroit. Yzerman was named GM in April after spending the last decade building one of the league's elite teams in Tampa Bay.
As Kronwall's NHL journey as a player ends, he said his best memory as a Red Wing was when the team won the Stanley Cup in 2008.
"We’re gonna get back there," he said in the video. "I just won’t be a player when it happens next time."