TV4.se’s Niklas Wikegard will premiere a new episode of his sports show, “Wikegard vs.,” today, and it will involve Niklas and Staffan Kronwall, and Aftonbladet’s Mattias Karlsson has posted some of the highlights of said interview today. What follows is roughly translated from Swedish:
Niklas Kronwall strongly critical: “You can’t go around with a cigarette in your mouth
Niklas Kronwall does not like how Swedish hockey has changed.
The NHL legend questions, among other things, the players’ attitudes.
“There is a bit of juice and bun over it,” he says in Wikegård vs Bröderna Kronwall.
You got Kronwalled!” Echoed at the Joe Louis Arena in Michigan.
Niklas Kronwall became known for his physical style of play.
Now he’s worried that it’s a type of ice hockey that is disappearing.
“You check and get checked. If I get really fucking hit, then it’s me who puts me in teh shit. Nine times out of ten, it’s your own fault. In Swedish hockey, I think there’s been a bit of ‘juice and bun’ over it. You’re not alone out there, it’s a martial art. You have a responsibility in this, too. You can’t go around with a cigarette in the corner of your mouth and think that you won’t be checked,” says Niklas Kronwall.
Just returned
Both Niklas Kronwall, 39, and Staffan Kronwall, 38, have moved home to Stockholm this summer.
Niklas Kronwall, after 16 seasons as a defensemen (his last 8 as assistant captain) in the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL, Staffan Kronwall after eight seasons as a defenseman (the last five as a captain) in Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the KHL.
Two cult players for two major hockey cities, the Detroit Red Wings were considered the world’s best hockey team during several of these years.
Niklas Kronwall has continued on as an “advisor to the general manager” for Steve Yzerman in the Detroit Red Wings, Staffan Kronwall has continued as “development coach” in Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
“Without being blacklisted”
The hockey brothers have controversial opinions about what today’s hockey looks like.
“I think that hockey is changing, a little too much for my own taste, to be honest, especially here at home. Hear me out, I think you should remove these game-destroying elements, absolutely, but there must be some rhyme and reason. A slash on the stick, I do not think, is a slash. I think you remove the battling moments, the physical game is removed more and more. I think there is far too little responsibility placed on puck-carrying players. Ten times out of ten when someone gets a hit, he has put himself in a damn shaky situation. I understand what they have tried to do, but I think they have taken it a step too far. You have to have different opinions without being blacklisted,” says Niklas Kronwall.
“It is as close as you can get to scoring goals, without scoring goals. To give their own team such a fucking boost. Then I think that if you ask this player, so it is a competent hockey player who goes on this battle, then I think that nine out of ten, 99 out of 100 maybe, would answer, ‘It was my fault, I put myself in a bad situation, I have to pay more attention,'” says Staffan Kronwall.
Drafted three Swedes
Niklas Kronwall is busy traveling around Sweden and taking care of players.
Staffan Kronwall has in record time become a viewer favorite in the SHL broadcasts for C More.
Detroit Red Wings’ first three choices in the draft on October 6-7 were Swedes – forward Lucas Raymond in Frölunda as number four overall, defender William Wallinder in Modo as number 32 overall, and forward Theodor Niederbach in Frölunda as number 51 overall.
The classic Swedish team has also loaned Moritz Seider to Rögle, Joe Veleno to Malmö, Mathias Bromé to Örebro, Filip Larsson and Gustav Lindström to Almtuna, and has several previously drafted players in Swedish hockey.
Staffan Kronwall was the second player to be recruited to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl after the tragic plane crash in 2011, and was in emotional states with and helped rebuilt the team.
They grew up with four-year-older big brother Mattias Kronwall in Järfälla west of Stockholm.
Dad passed away
Mother Tove Kronwall had to take care of the three sons herself since father Hasse Kronwall died of a heart attack in 1992, when Niklas was eleven years old and Staffan was nine years old.
“We had hockey, it was extremely important. We got to be in a place where we did not have to think about it. So it helped incredibly much,” says Niklas Kronwall.
“We got hard work from home, tough bones. A fucking forehead bone is what I think has helped us the most. This means not to give up, that you can work a little harder than you think. A man is a fucking engine then—you think the tank is empty, but like on the car when you get the warning light that you have 50 km left, you may have 60 km left in the tank,” says Staffan Kronwall.
Niklas Kronwall won World Championship gold with Tre Kronor in Riga in 2006, Staffan Kronwall won World Championship gold with Tre Kronor 2013 in the Globe and got to lift the trophy as captain.
Both have four elite series seasons with Djurgården, and Niklas Kronwall was involved and won Swedish Championship gold in 2000 and 2001.
Niklas Kronwall also won Olympic gold with Tre Kronor in Turin in 2006 and the Stanley Cup with Detroit Red Wings in 2008.
✓ The entire episode of Wikegård vs Brothers Kronwall will be broadcast tonight at 9.30 pm on Sportkanalen and can already be seen on C More.
