Scouting the Detroit Red Wings: Niklas Kronwall

August 13, 1:12 AMDetroit Red Wings ExaminerMike Mouat

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Niklas Kronwall

Today's profile: Niklas Kronwall

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 189
Birthdate: January 12, 1981 (28 years old)
Position: Defense
Shoots: Left
Uniform #: 55
Contract status: Signed through 2011-12
Salary Cap Figure: $3,000,000
Salary in 2009-10: $3,250,000

2008-09

Niklas Kronwall set career highs in games played (80), assists (45), points (51), power play goals (4) and shots on goal (121), and tied his career high in game-winning goals (1) in 2008-09. His 51 points ranked 11th in the league among defensemen, just one point shy of tying for a top 10 finish. His 22:53 of ice time per game ranked third on Detroit behind Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski, and he led the Red Wings in blocked shots (109). Also in 2008-09 Kronwall reached a couple of NHL milestones, playing in his 200th game on November 26 against Montreal and recording his 100th point on February 7 against Edmonton. Kronwall will be best remembered in 2008-09 for a single hit he made during the Western Conference Final, when he knocked out Chicago's top scorer Martin Havlat, spawning a mock motivational poster, as per below:

For the first time in his career Kronwall stayed healthy for the entire season and that was reflected in a 16-point improvement in his offensive numbers. It is the second consecutive season that Kronwall improved his point total by double digits (13-point improvement from 2006-07 to 2007-08). And at just 28 years old Kronwall is entering the prime of his career. While another double digit improvement in points is not likely, 2009-10 should be the year that Kronwall finally reaches double digits in goals (previous high is seven in 2007-08), as he will once again be counted on as a key member of the second power play unit. Referred to as "Junior" in reference to Lidstrom by coach Mike Babcock, it is clear what the expectations are for Kronwall in the future, and with Lidstrom approaching the age of 40 and in the final year of his contract the future is fast approaching. However he must become a more consistent goal scorer as he scored four of his six last season in the final 19 games. He and defense partner Brad Stuart (two goals in 67 games) represent an area that the Red Wings could recoup some of the goals lost with the defections of Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson.

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• Dan Cleary  Pavel Datsyuk  Kris Draper  Patrick Eaves  Jonathan Ericsson  Valtteri Filppula  Johan Franzen  Darren Helm  Tomas Holmstrom  Niklas Kronwall   Brett Lebda   Ville Leino  Nicklas Lidstrom  Andreas Lilja  Kirk Maltby  Derek Meech  Chris Osgood  Brian Rafalski  Brad Stuart  Jason Williams  Henrik Zetterberg