It was an interesting week for Swedish hockey players around the NHL, and the Boston Bruins were paying close attention.
Future Hall of Famer Henrik Zetterberg announced his retirement due to severe back issues after spending his entire 15-year career with the Detroit Red Wings. He won a Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2008.
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The Bruins finished practice on Friday at Warrior Ice Arena and saw the news on the television in the locker room.
“It’s pretty unique,” Bruins captain Zdeno Chara said of Zetterberg playing for one organization his entire career. “He’s been, and he is, such an elite player and it’s very unfortunate that he cannot continue. The things he’s done for the Detroit Red Wings, for the organization and for the community is pretty remarkable. I’m sure he’ll always be remembered and known for how he played and how he led. It’s always tough news to find out.”
Zetterberg is one of the most respected players among his NHL peers, and retiring was an emotional decision for the 37-year-old forward.
“As players, those are the type of exits you don’t want to see players have leaving the game, because of injuries,” Chara said. “Hopefully he’ll fully recover and have an amazing career after hockey. Speaking for many guys, we wish him all the best.”
Chara has dealt with numerous injuries during his career and he understands how difficult it is to play with an injured back.
“After your brain, [your back] is the most crucial part of your body you depend on so much,” Chara said. “It controls what you can and can not do. Those are always tough injuries and you have to be careful because your back is the foundation that holds everything together.”
The Bruins have three Swedish prospects – Anton Blidh, Axel Andersson and Emil Johansson – in their organization and all three young players admire Zetterberg’s success during his impressive career.
“It’s tough,” Blidh said. “He’s been a great player for many years. It’s tough to hear that. Of course I [admire] him. He played for a long time and he played the game the right way. He’s one of the top guys in the league. I never met him, but I heard he’s a great guy.”
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When Andersson was a kid, the now 18-year-old defenseman was able to secure Zetterberg’s autograph.
“When I was younger I watched Detroit because there were so many Swedish guys there and [Zetterberg] was one of the best,” Andersson said. “It’s unfortunate to have to stop your career because of injury.”
Zetterberg’s exit is another example of how impressive it is that Chara remains relatively healthy, competitive and productive at age 41.
“Health is the most important thing we have,” he said. “A lot of times we overlook that and we take it for granted until something happens and then we appreciate it more and more. I’m very grateful and blessed that so far, for the most part, I’ve been healthy. I’ll try my best to stay that way. It’s a physical game. It’s a game where people do get hurt and you want to avoid it as much as you can and prepare yourself for it.”
Zetterberg wasn’t the only Swedish player to make news last week. The Ottawa Senators traded defenseman Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a first-round pick in 2019 or 2020, a second-round pick in 2019, along with forwards Chris Tierney, Josh Norris and Rudolfs Balcers, defenseman Dylan DeMelo and two conditional draft picks.
“Big trade,” Andersson said. “He’s so much fun to watch. I look up to him but I haven’t met him. He’s a great player.”
Speaking of impressive careers, Bruins alternate captain Patrice Bergeron normally does not like to talk about his accomplishments. He’s the type of player that would rather focus on the overall team success.
However, as the Bruins began training camp last week, the 33-year-old forward spoke with excitement about an approaching personal milestone – 1,000 games in the NHL. Currently at 963, he needs 37 games to reach the mark, and barring any setbacks, he should play in his 1,000th game on Dec. 23 at the Carolina Hurricanes.
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“It means a lot,” he said. “It’s not something I dreamt about as a kid. You obviously want to make the NHL and win a Stanley Cup, but then to play 1,000 games — it’s not something you think about.”
Last season, Bergeron’s close friend, Anaheim Ducks forward Antoine Vermette, accomplished the feat, which made Bergeron curious.
“I actually looked it up and there’s only 313 players who have done it,” he said. “There aren’t many players that have actually made it, so in that way it’s pretty special and meaningful.”
If not for the lockout season in 2004-05, the lockout-shortened season in 2013, and being limited to only 10 games in 2007-08 due to a severe concussion, Bergeron would have already reached the milestone.
“It’s definitely easy to think about and realize that,” he said. “Those lockouts were no fun, especially the second lockout because it was basically in the prime of my career. It’s not fun to be sitting when you’re feeling great and you want to get going, but you can’t look back and dwell on it.”
Bergeron enters the 2018-19 season with 289 goals and 445 assists for 734 points, including a plus-155 rating during his 14-season NHL career.
The 2018-19 season marks the 20th anniversary of the Providence Bruins winning the Calder Cup in 1999. It was an incredible worst-to-first story featuring the likes of Randy Robitaille — who had 102 points in 74 regular-season games — Andre Savage, Aaron Downey and John Grahame.
“Everything lined up for us that year,” said former Providence and Boston Bruins winger Jay Henderson, who was a rookie that season. “From Day 1, it seemed like it was meant to be. It was definitely a special year.”
The previous season, Henderson played only 11 games at the end of the year and the P-Bruins were the worst team in the AHL with a 19-49-7-5 record under coach Tom McVie. It quickly changed the next season and the P-Bruins won the championship under first-year coach Peter Laviolette, a former Providence Bruins player who would go on to a long NHL coaching career with the Islanders, Hurricanes, Flyers, and Predators.
Peter LaViolette skating for the Providence Bruins in 1995 | (Photo by B Winkler/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
“He was amazing back then, and he learned a lot along the way too,” Henderson said. “To me, he always stayed true to himself and he’s obviously had a lot of success. It’s nice to see how far he’s come and if you win a Stanley Cup as a coach you’re doing something right.”
The players from that team still stay connected and there’s talk of a reunion next summer.
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“That would be fantastic,” Henderson said. “I don’t know if it will happen or not, but it would be pretty cool to get together. It was a special group that year and everyone knew it, so it would be great to catch up if we could.”
Providence has long been a pro hockey hotbed, dating back to the storied Rhode Island Reds. The P-Bruins came to the city in 1992, and the city has proven to be a great home.
“I love Providence. I lived there for five years and it became home. I love that city. I love the people there,” Henderson said. “I was very fortunate because, to me, it’s the best city in the American League.”
(Top Photo of Chara and Zetterberg: Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
