Report: Henrik Zetterberg is ready to retire
Longtime Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg is almost ready to hang up his skates.
After having spent his entire career with the Detroit Red Wings, it appears that Henrik Zetterberg is finally ready to call it quits.
The long-serving captain told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that the 2018-2019 National Hockey League season might be his last. Despite being signed through the 2020-2021 season, the 36-year-old forward could opt out of the final two years of his contract and put an end to his illustrious career.
According to the Detroit News‘s translation of the Aftonbladet’s article, general manager Ken Holland said that he has not spoken to Zetterberg yet, and the latter failed to explicitly say that his decision is final:
"Actually, I may have two years left, but I have also learned to take one year at a time. But I will probably not play until then."
Through 1,000 regular-season career games, the Swede has posted 326 goals and 578 assists for a grand total of 904 points while notching 57 goals and 63 assists for 120 points in 137 postseason games.
The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 2008 thanks especially to Zetterberg’s 27 points in 22 matches during the playoffs, as he earned himself playoff MVP honors by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy that same year.
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Zetterberg was also an integral part of the Swedish international hockey team, winning gold medals at both the Olympics and World Championship in 2006.
After having endured countless injuries to his back and knee while acknowledging the direction in which his team is trending — the Red Wings missed the playoffs for the first time in 26 years last season — it seems there is not much left for him to prove in the NHL. The center often used on the left wing has seen himself play on the team’s third line at times, and the hope in Detroit is that young stars Anthony Mantha, Tomas Tatar and Andreas Athanasiou could fill the void left behind by their leader.
The Detroit Red Wings will open the curtain on their 2017-2018 regular season schedule at their newly-constructed Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 5 as they host the Minnesota Wild.