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Detroit Red Wings: Niklas Kronwall’s role on a young team

By Joseph Wooley

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 07: Justin Abdelkader #8 of the Detroit Red Wings poses with his 100th career NHL goal puck and teammates From L to R Niklas Kronwall #55 and Henrik Zetterberg #40 following an NHL game against the New York Islanders at Little Caesars Arena on April 7, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Islanders defeated the Wings 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Justin Abdelkader; Niklas Kronwall; Henrik Zetterberg
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 07: Justin Abdelkader #8 of the Detroit Red Wings poses with his 100th career NHL goal puck and teammates From L to R Niklas Kronwall #55 and Henrik Zetterberg #40 following an NHL game against the New York Islanders at Little Caesars Arena on April 7, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Islanders defeated the Wings 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Justin Abdelkader; Niklas Kronwall; Henrik Zetterberg /
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Niklas Kronwall played his first game of the season for the Detroit Red Wings this Thursday, a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 37-year-old defenseman started the 2018-19 campaign missing the first three games due to a lower-body injury.

This offseason, Niklas Kronwall was a major question mark in the upcoming season for the Detroit Red Wings. Would he be healthy enough to start the season, or would his status instead be relegated to injured reserve?

What, then, would his effect be on the Red Wings overall salary cap? How many more seasons does he even have left? In the wake of Henrik Zetterberg’s retirement, Kronwall is now the oldest dressing player.

Kronwall answered some of these questions by suiting up on Thursday. His health is almost certainly not 100%; an otherwise decimated defense core possibly hurried Kronwall back to the ice. He did not let the injury slow him down, though, collecting 22 minutes of ice time in nearly 30 shifts. He may not have contributed any points to the losing effort (despite taking a couple of shots and logging one hit), but the veteran alternate captain still made his presence felt.

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Now that Niklas Kronwall is back on the ice for the Detroit Red Wings, what can we expect out of him? His average ice time has been on the decline the last few years, but his output has remained largely the same. As the oldest player on an increasingly younger team, we may see some slowdown, especially when dealing with a persistent injury.

But Kronwall is playing in his 15th season, all with Detroit, and he brings with him a level of experience. With Zetterberg gone and the captain role vacant, Kronwall naturally assumes that mantle of leadership. He has been an alternate since 2011.

Late in the third period of the game against the Maple Leafs, Kronwall did something perfectly emblematic of his current role on the team. While hanging back on a power play, he missed a player coming down for a shorthanded attempt.

Instead of attacking the shooter, making up for the missed defense, Kronwall slowed to pick up a trailing player—the second half of a 2-on-1. What looked at first like blown coverage and a lazy pickup was instead a planned move. The pass was cut off which forced a shot, and Jimmy Howard made a tough save look easy.

Sure, a younger player might have been quicker and not allowed the puck to escape in the first place. But a younger player might have also tried to make up for his mistake and gone straight after the shooter.

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This would have complicated the goalie lane or left the trailing player wide open for a one-timer. Instead, Niklas Kronwall showed his experience, without a doubt preventing a goal in a breakaway. This is what we should come to expect this season. At 37, Kronwall may not be as fleet as some of his teammates, but his knowledge of the game will make up for it.

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