Henrik Zetterberg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Henrik Zetterberg
Zetterberg with the Detroit Red Wings in February 2012
Born	(1980-10-09) 9 October 1980 (age 44) Njurunda, Sweden
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	88 kg (194 lb; 13 st 12 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Timrå IK Detroit Red Wings EV Zug
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	210th overall, 1999 Detroit Red Wings
Playing career	1997–2018
Website	Henrikzetterberg.com

Henrik Zetterberg (born 9 October 1980) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player. He was a forward who played his entire NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings. He played for the Red Wings from 2002 to 2018.

Zetterberg quickly became a star in the NHL. He finished second for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie in 2003. In 2008, he helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs that year. He is also a member of the Triple Gold Club. This means he won Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and the Stanley Cup. He achieved this amazing feat in 2006 and 2008.

Playing Ice Hockey

Starting in Sweden

Henrik Zetterberg was born in Njurunda, Sweden. He started playing youth hockey for a team called Njurunda SK. Later, when he was 15, he moved to play for Timrå IK.

Scouts from the Detroit Red Wings noticed Zetterberg during a tournament in Finland. They were impressed by how he always seemed to have the puck. The Red Wings picked him 210th overall in the seventh round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. After playing a few more seasons in Sweden, Zetterberg joined the Red Wings for the 2002–03 season.

Playing for the Detroit Red Wings

Early Years (2002–2006)

Zetterberg played his first NHL game on 10 October 2002. In his first season, he scored 22 goals and 22 assists, totaling 44 points. This was the most points for any first-year player that season. He was a runner-up for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the league's top rookie.

In his second season, Zetterberg broke his leg. This caused him to miss 21 games. Because of an NHL lockout in the 2004–05 season, Zetterberg went back to Sweden. He played for Timrå IK again and led the league in scoring with 50 points.

When the NHL started playing again in 2005, Zetterberg became a big star. He was named an alternate captain for the Red Wings. He had a great season, scoring 39 goals and 46 assists for 85 points. He was part of a famous group of players called the "Swedish Five." These five Swedish players also won a gold medal together at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Winning the Stanley Cup (2006–2012)

In the 2006–07 season, Zetterberg was chosen for the 2007 NHL All-Star Game. He scored his 100th career goal in February 2007. Nine days later, he scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game).

Zetterberg during a break in the action in October 2006

The 2007–08 season was amazing for Zetterberg. He started with a 16-game point-scoring streak, which was a new team record. He scored a career-high 43 goals and 49 assists for 92 points. In the playoffs, he added 27 points. He led the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup! In the final game, Zetterberg scored the winning goal. He was also named the playoffs MVP. His 13 playoff goals tied a Red Wings record.

In January 2009, Zetterberg signed a huge 12-year contract with the Red Wings. This was the longest and biggest contract in the team's history. The Red Wings made it to the Stanley Cup Finals again in 2009 but lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Zetterberg continued to be a key player for the Red Wings. He scored his fourth career hat-trick in November 2009. He had 80 points in the 2010–11 season. In the 2011–12 season, he played on a line that helped his teammates have career-best seasons.

Captain and Final Years (2012–2018)

During an NHL lockout in 2012, Zetterberg played for a team in Switzerland called EV Zug.

Zetterberg with the Red Wings in Pittsburgh, January 2010.

On 15 January 2013, Zetterberg was named the captain of the Red Wings. He took over from the legendary Nicklas Lidström. He faced some challenges with back injuries. He had surgery in 2014 after the 2014 Winter Olympics.

On 6 November 2015, Zetterberg scored his 300th career goal. He became only the seventh Swedish player to reach 300 goals. He was also the fifth player in Red Wings history to have 300 goals and 800 points.

On 9 April 2017, Zetterberg played his 1,000th game for the Red Wings. This game was also the last one ever played at the famous Joe Louis Arena. In his final season, 2017–18, he reached more milestones. He tied for fifth all-time in goals and total points in Red Wings history.

On 14 September 2018, the Red Wings announced that Zetterberg could no longer play hockey. This was due to a back condition. He officially retired after his contract ended in 2021.

Playing for Sweden

Zetterberg with Sweden at the 2012 IIHF World Championship.

Zetterberg was a regular player for the Swedish national team, known as "Tre Kronor." He won many medals at the IIHF World Championships.

• He won a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
• He also won a gold medal at the 2006 World Championship in Riga.
• Sweden became the first country in hockey history to win both the Olympic gold and the World Championship in the same year.

When Zetterberg won the Stanley Cup in 2008, he became a member of the Triple Gold Club. This special club is for players who have won Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and the Stanley Cup. Zetterberg is one of only 30 players to achieve this. He and two teammates, Niklas Kronwall and Mikael Samuelsson, achieved this feat faster than anyone else.

Zetterberg was named captain of Team Sweden for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. However, his back injury forced him to leave the tournament after just one game.

Personal Life

Zetterberg has a few nicknames. His teammates call him "Hank," which is a shorter version of Henrik. In Sweden, he is often called "Zäta," which means "Z" in Swedish.

In 2008, he got engaged to Emma Andersson, a Swedish model and TV host. They got married on 23 July 2010, in Sweden. On 20 August 2015, they had their first child, a son named Love.

When he was 17, Zetterberg served several months in the Swedish Army. This was because Sweden had a policy where young people had to join the military.

Career Statistics

Regular season

Bold indicates led league

International

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Gold	2006 Turin
Silver	2014 Sochi
World Championships
Gold	2006 Latvia
Silver	2003 Finland
Bronze	2001 Germany
Bronze	2002 Sweden

Awards and Achievements

Zetterberg in 2008

In Sweden

In the NHL

* Could not play because of injury.

• Named "Detroit Red Wings Rookie of the Year" in 2003.
• Voted "The Sporting News Rookie of the Year" by NHL players in 2003.
• Named "The Hockey News Player of the Month" for October 2007.
• Won the Viking Award in 2007 and 2008. This award goes to the "Best Swede" playing in North America.
• Named the first "TSN NHL Player of the Year" in 2008.
• Became a member of the Triple Gold Club in 2008.
• Inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.

Records

• Holds a Red Wings record for having at least one point in 17 games in a row to start a season.
• Holds the Red Wings team record for goals (13 – tied) and points (27) in one playoff season.
• Holds the NHL record for most shots on goal in a single playoff season with 116 in 2007–08.