Kronwall’s lucky year (kind of)
Niklas Kronwall has had a pretty lucky year, for the most part.
Lucky Stuff
- Wins a gold medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Ice Hockey with Team Sweden and scores in the championship game.
IHWC.NET: It had to be a tremendous boost for you to play in the Olympics and score a key goal in the gold medal game.Kronwall: Of course. That was huge. Just getting the chance to go over there, and from there, things happened so fast. It still feels kind of like a dream, looking back. It was good to be part of something that big.
Kronwall was pleased to play during the Olympic break to help speed up his recovery from knee surgery earlier that season.
“It would have been frustrating and disappointing to not have played (during the Olympic break),” Kronwall said. “When the opportunity came around (to play for Sweden), I couldn’t have been happier. To play hockey at such a high-level tournament against top players, it really helped me.”
- Wins gold in the 2006 World Championships and scores in the final game. He’s then named MVP of the tournament.
“We just felt like there was nothing to hold back,” Kronwall said. “It was the last game of the season and the world championship final. You’re not tired at all, you just try to put that away and go out there and work hard.”
Wings GM Ken Holland had a chance to watch Kronwall play as well as a Wings Russian prospect, Igor Grigorenko. Holland was pleased with the young defenseman’s performance.
“He played very, very good,” Holland said. “He played well for us in the playoffs and well here, and we look forward to having him back and skating next year.”
With both the gold in the Olympics and World Championships, Sweden became the first country to do so in one year. This is probably making Jes Golbez sick right now with all this Sweden talk.
- Wins lottery in Sweden. Now I can’t translate this article, but fellow LGW forum posters say that Kronwall won one million kronor (about $140,000) in the lottery. One LGW poster (Ryan Barnes!)explained how this lottery win came about:
Kronwall entered a golf tournament held for sponsors and every group of four were awarded 18 scratch lottery tickets. The winner of each hole were supposed to get a ticket. Kronwall’s group decided to share the tickets and sat down to scratch them. Kronwall found out that they had won and split $140,000 four ways. Someone said he looked slightly embarrassed, although happy and surprised at the same time. Kronwall commented that he has felt lucky lately.
This causes one LGW poster to say the following: “That’s it, I’m learning Swedish. Too many Swedes on our team.” Now I’m debating which Wings jersey I want to buy next (since my Yzerman jersey is now autographed by Manny Legace, which I got at a public practice). I’m thinking I want to get a younger kid’s jersey so Hank or Kronwall. And Kronwall has the busted knee factor, so I’m just hoping he sticks around for awhile here in Detroit. I’m also hoping that over the summer, he can get into 100% form so we can enjoy his presence on the blueline all next season.
Not So Lucky Stuff
- Tears ACL and MCL in pre-season causing him to miss 53 games, but returns in time for playoffs.
- His team gets knocked out of the playoffs in the first round, which allows him to play in the world championships.
Random Kronwall Trivia
- There is no significant meaning behind Kronwall’s jersey number.
IHWC.NET: Let’s talk about your jersey number with Detroit. You’re wearing #55, and Larry Murphy had that number for a couple of Stanley Cups with the Wings. Are you trying to pick up some of his good vibes?Kronwall: [laughs] No, I’ve got nothing to do with that, to be honest with you. When I got called up, that was the jersey they had for me. They never really asked me, and I’ve never asked about it either. It feels pretty good. #55 is pretty good. It makes your back look wider, I think!
- Nicklas Lidstrom was his boyhood idol.
- He went #29 overall (round one) in the 2000 NHL Draft.
- He is single and returns to Sweden every summer.
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