NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger spoke with Niklas Kronwall recently, and Kronwall addressed the possibility that this year may be his last as a player:
“If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I’ve had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career,” Kronwall, a veteran of 14 NHL seasons, said this week during the NHL European Player Media Tour. “We’ll see what happens.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey.”
Continued, and Kronwall has this to say about the Wings players’ belief that they can still be a playoff team:
Kronwall said the continued development of young players like center Dylan Larkin, 22, and forward Anthony Mantha, who turns 24 on Sept. 16, will help the Red Wings accomplish that.
“We should be right there,” he said of Detroit, which finished 30-39-13, 24 points behind the New Jersey Devils for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. “I thought last year we should be right there with the team that we had. I know people on the outside are seeing things differently but within the team, within the locker room, we believe in the team that we have.
“Some of these guys can be difference makers. And it’s time for them to push forward. The organization needs that.”
