Octopus Thrower
Fansided

A Detroit Red Wings fans’ April Fools dream come true

By Bob Heyrman

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 02: Detroit Red Wings Left Wing Darren Helm (43), Detroit Red Wings Center Luke Glendening (41), Detroit Red Wings Defenceman Jonathan Ericsson (52) and teammates celebrate the Red Wings second goal during the first period of the NHL game between against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 2, 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 02: Detroit Red Wings Left Wing Darren Helm (43), Detroit Red Wings Center Luke Glendening (41), Detroit Red Wings Defenceman Jonathan Ericsson (52) and teammates celebrate the Red Wings second goal during the first period of the NHL game between against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 2, 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Jonathan Ericsson was selected in the 9th round of the 2002 NHL Entry Level Draft.

The draft only goes to the 7th round these days. The big fella played for his father back in Sweden and was actually a forward for most of his early hockey days. As a teenager, his team was really banged up, and they needed someone to drop back and be a defenseman. Insert Johnathan Ericsson, and he excelled right to the show.

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Ericsson recently turned 35-year-old, and injuries have been starting to mount for the big defenseman. He’s currently out with a knee injury that is expected to end his Red Wings’ season with the team only having three games remaining.

He never ever reached his full potential within the eyes of the franchise or the fans in my opinion. I will acknowledge the fact he indeed was a 9th round pick so as a whole he’s definitely exceeded the expectations he had for his draft position, that is not debatable. Part of it is once you finally make it to the show we all have certain expectations for different players.

Take Luke Witkowski for example; what are his expectations? I’d say he is an energy guy who goes out there and bangs the body to get the crowd engaged and he will drop the gloves to try and flip the momentum into the Wings favor. He’s not expected to be a top-six defenseman; he’s a guy who rotates in and out of the lineup plus fills in when injuries occur.

Jonathan Ericsson started as a third pairing defenseman and never really developed into a top-four defender that we’ve all hoped he would. He’s 6’4, 220 pounds and for the majority of his career playing like a 5’9, 195-pound defenseman.

He’s refrained from being a physical dominating defender and generally tends to shy away from banging the body. Although he was a draft bargain, I don’t think any player has frustrated me more throughout his career because I see what could have been from a physical standpoint and as he’s grown old he’s been a defensive liability.

Next. Three Trades the Detroit Red Wings Wish Were April Fools Jokes. dark

Through 662 career NHL games, Ericsson has scored 27 times and added 98 helpers totaling 125 career points and is a career -9. The April fools joke we WISHED was real is that Jonathan Ericsson with one-year remaining on his contract had decided to retire at seasons’ end.

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