Though he won’t officially retire for several years, Henrik Zetterberg‘s hockey playing career is over. Today at Detroit Red Wings training camp, GM Ken Holland announced that due to the chronic back injury that Zetterberg has dealt with, he will not play again. The Red Wings captain was unable to train at all this offseason and recently consulted with the doctor who originally completed his back surgery. The decision was made that he cannot continue.
Zetterberg, 37, has three years left on his contract that will likely be placed on long-term injured reserve in the coming weeks. The decision of when exactly to make that transaction depends on who the Red Wings decide to take on the roster, and how they want to work their salary cap for this season. His $6.083MM cap hit will give the team added flexibility going forward, but there isn’t a single player or fan in Detroit who was rooting for this outcome.
Despite dealing with crippling pain at points during last season that kept him from practicing with the team, Zetterberg played in all 82 games for the Red Wings. Though his goal total fell to the lowest mark of his career in a full season, he still recorded 56 points to come second on the team behind only Dylan Larkin. Combine that offensive production with the fact that Zetterberg has long been one of the most defensively responsible forwards in the league and he was still arguably the Red Wings most important player.
That importance was evident right from the moment Zetterberg made his debut in 2002. Scoring his first goal by being in the perfect position, that would be become a motif throughout his career. Always in the right place at the right time, Zetterberg would score 21 more goals in that rookie season and 393 more in his Detroit career. 57 of those came in the playoffs, where he took home the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2008 when the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup.
Zetterberg will almost certainly wait out his contract before officially announcing his retirement like so many others, which also will avoid any cap recapture penalty for the Red Wings. Some will draw immediate comparisons to the Marian Hossa situation, given that Zetterberg’s actual salary was set to drop to just $5.35MM over the next three seasons combined. The player himself once explained that the last two seasons—in which he would earn just $1MM in salary annually—were just added to the end of the deal to keep the cap hit low and were never expected to fulfilled. While Zetterberg walked back those comments quickly by saying he would obviously play if physically possible, this injury obviously still comes with conspicuous timing.
Regardless of the intent, the NHL will lose one of the very best to play the game this season when Zetterberg fails to suit up for the Red Wings. With 1,082 games played, 960 points, a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe, there could very well be a trip to the Hall of Fame down the line for the Detroit captain.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Why not just retire now
I believe if he doesn’t officially retire he can still collect a significant part of the salary still owed to him
The team would suffer from some fairly significant cap recapture penalties, hence why Johan Franzen is still on Payroll, and I suspect Nathan Horton for the Maple Leafs too, etc.
Chronic back injury? He played 82 games last year. This is just circumventing the cap. Such a bogus move
He didn’t practice at all for the 2nd half of the year last season, but he has such a love for hockey that he still wanted to play the games. Trust me, Zetterberg is a guy who would play if he is able to.
Stfu, idiot
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about so why would you post that. It’s been well known that Z has had back problems for awhile now. He had to miss the Sochi Olympics because he had to have surgery.
Please educate yourself before posting something like that on people’s retirements.
It’s well known he played 82 games last year. Wings just using this to circumvent the cap. Plain and simple. They weren’t a playoff team so he had no incentive to play EVERY game. Played in 77 or more games since 14-15. Wings fans just blind and dumb.
Blackhawk fan?
Let me clarify. If he RETIRES it’s the right thing. If he sticks around and stays on LTIR that circumventing
He has a legit injury and legit pain that prevents him from being able to play. I don’t know why he shouldn’t be able to go on LTIR. He wanted to play this season, but he was told he couldn’t. It’s not like the Hossa thing where he suddenly had an allergic reaction to equipment. Zetterberg has had back pain and it’s been know for years.
Cockapoopoopeepeeshire
Way to go full r@tard there, congrats!!!
Funny, looks like it was mentioned in the article, but 1st thing I thought was marian hossa and chicago. For these 2 WESTERN CONFERENCE franchises to hate each other, they sure are alike when it comes to cheating and bypassing the system/rules in place to protect the integrity of the game. Good work detoilet lady wings, having personally watched you pansies CRY into the Eastern Conference and play “sweet” diving hockey for years, I’d say you’re WORSE than the blackcawks and all that cheating to 1st rounders/Stanley Cups. LOL. Pathetic honestly. Good luck to Zetterberg though, that’s quite an unceremonious way to leave the game. Maybe he returns in a year after extensive rest and rehab or plays again back home down the line?
@tjeck109, concerning Zetterberg “retiring” or staying on IR, I’m sure he’s getting paid off wither way. Question is, will it be by the lady wings via salary cap or will they go the insurance companies etc route? Agree with your comments 100% and voiced as much. This franchise is long known for cheating, no surprises here circumventing salary as much as possible. Much like chicago with Hossa IMO. SKIN CONDITION forces retirement, huh? HA HA FRAUDS.