LOS ANGELES, Sept 15, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Swedish star Henrik Zetterberg, who
was named MVP of the 2008 Stanley Cup finals, announced his retirement Friday
after 15 seasons in the National Hockey League.
Zetterberg ends his brilliant career with a total of 337 goals and 623
assists, all coming while a member of the Detroit Red Wings.
The 37-year-old Zetterberg is also one of the most decorated international
players for Sweden, having won a gold medal at the 2006 Turin Winter
Olympics.
He is one of just 28 players to be part of the “Triple Gold Club,” having
won a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold and world title in their careers. He led the
Wings to a NHL championship in the 2007-08 season.
Zetterberg decided to hang up his skates after missing a good portion of
last season with back problems. He had hoped his health would improve over
the summer but when he met with team doctors last week he was told, “nothing
really had changed.”
“He’s got a degenerative condition in his back,” Red Wings general manager
Ken Holland said. “Part of the degenerative condition is significant
arthritis. Nothing can be done. No back surgery. No rehab. No more time off
is going to have any positive impact.
“Obviously if he plays professional hockey, it’s going to accelerate the
degeneration, and if he does get a bad hit or something, then he’s risking a
significant back surgery.
“Henrik has decided that his quality of life is more important than taking
the risk of back surgery.”
A native of Njurunda, Zetterberg was another of Holland’s diamond in the
rough finds in the late rounds of the NHL entry draft, taken in 1999 with the
210th overall pick.
Zetterberg made the leap to the NHL from the Swedish Elite League in 2002
as a 22-year-old rookie, posting 22 goals and 22 assists. From 2005 to 2008,
Zetterberg notched four straight 30-plus goal campaigns, highlighted by a
career high 43 goals in 2007-08 championship season.