“I’m not crying, you’re crying.” – every Detroit Red Wings fan.
Ask around the NHL and you won’t find many players more universally respected both on and off the ice than Henrik Zetterberg. Sadly, it was announced on Friday by GM Ken Holland that the team captain’s career is done due to a degenerative back condition.
Zetterberg isn’t technically retired because he will be placed on long-term injured reserve, but since his playing days are officially over the team posted a lovely tribute video Tuesday dedicated to the talented Swede who, one would have to imagine, has a decent shot at being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame at some point.
As you can see from the highlights shown, Zetterberg dazzled hockey fans from the moment he debuted in the NHL in 2002.
One of the all-time great value picks in NHL history, Zetterberg was selected 210th overall by the Red Wings in 1999 and ended up playing his entire career (1,082 regular-season and 137 playoff games) in a Detroit uniform.
“I’m blessed that, first of all, they drafted me in the seventh round in 1999 and that they stuck with me for all these years,” Zetterberg said in the video. “Playing for one organization, Original Six team, the Red Wings was my favorite team growing up, so it’s very special and I’m really, really happy about it.”
Zetterberg, who turns 38 on Oct. 9, is one of only 38 players in hockey’s exclusive Triple Gold Club thanks to Olympic and world championship gold medals in 2006 and his Stanley Cup championship in 2008.
[relatedlinks]
