Recently there has been some talk that Niklas Kronwall could be considering returning next season to the Detroit Red Wings. This may hurt the Wings more than it helps them.
It was a foregone conclusion that Detroit Red Wings leader Niklas Kronwall would play out this season without his good friend and countryman Henrik Zetterberg and then ride off into the sunset himself at years’ end.
Kronwall has played nearly 20:00 TOI minutes a night this season for the Wings; he’s recorded 2 goals to go along with his 12 assists totaling 14 points through 53 games on the season. He’s a plus 4, and his 49.5 CF% is respectable but he would undoubtedly like it over 50%, we’ve got to stop and remember he’s playing significant minutes against the better players on the opposition every night. If he were on a better team and played as the sixth defender, his possession stats would be improved.
If Niklas Kronwall does indeed have a desire to play one more season, Ken Holland wouldn’t be able to deny him a contract offer. That leaves the Wings with once again plenty of aged veteran defenders with limited upside. Jonathan Ericsson, Trevor Daley, Mike Green, Danny DeKeyser along with Kronwall would make up five defensemen. Granted four of those guys would be in the final year of their contracts, that is assuming Kronwall signed a one-year deal this summer.
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The concerning thing to me would be Ken Holland choosing to resign Kronwall who would turn 39-years-old during the season next year over the likes of Nick Jensen. Could bringing back Kronwall even slow the search for a free agent defenseman on July first? I couldn’t think of a worst case scenario for the Wings.
Imagine they resign Kronwall because he wants to play and our organization has a huge problem with letting go and being loyal to a fault and in turn not trying to sign free agents like Jake Gardiner or Tyler Myers. I know it’s unlikely, but even Erik Karlsson would be feasible for the Detroit Red Wings, but it would take about 10 or 11 million per season. It’s rare but with such an abundant crop of free agents expected this summer, and maybe the Wings submit an offer sheet to someone like Zach Werenski who will be a restricted free agent.
I like Kronwall, but sometimes from an organizational standpoint, you need to move on. If he intends on playing next season, he should make the team aware before the February 25th NHL trade deadline. The Wings might be able to find a trade partner looking for a third pairing, reliable veteran defender.
This is extremely unlikely but, if the Wings were able to find someone looking for Kronwall’s services on a rental basis for the remainder of this season and he was willing to waive his no-trade clause. The Wings could be in a position to add to their cupboard of existing draft picks and be open to a reunion with him this summer or better yet move on entirely.
Of course, that would mean he wouldn’t be a member of the Detroit Red Wings franchise for his entire career, and we all know that is what’s more important to Ken Holland and maybe even Kronwall at this point. If you don’t believe that to be the case, the organization has done an excellent job pulling the wool over your eyes.
I like Kronwall; he’s had a tremendous career, he’s been an outstanding leader and specifically this season. He is brutally honest with the media after ugly losses and humble after the club is victorious.
He’s been valuable for this rebuilding club but how many of these players we previously mentioned can we continue to roll out? It’s time Filip Hronek, Joe Hicketts and maybe Gustav Lindstrom to get a chance along with whoever the Wings decide to target via free agency.