Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted an article regarding an interview that Henrik Zetterberg gave to Expressen’s Vendela Ogren on February 11th, and here’s a rough translation thereof:
Henrik Zetterberg on life outside the spotlight
Henrik Zetterberg has kept a low profile after his elite career.
Today he lives in Skane (southern Sweden) and is involved in a number of projects–far away from the hockey world.
“It gets the days going,” the 44-year-old says.
It will soon be seven years since Henrik Zetterberg finished his successful hockey career. Back problems put an end to continuing.
Back on the ice for a charity match in the new Globe Arena, Zetterberg remembers how it all started.
“This is where it really started, an international breakthrough at the Sweden hockey games,” he said.
The year was 2001, and “Zata” had played his first year in the Eliteserien with Timra.
“I managed to score four goals against Finland, and the whole Detroit staff sat in the stands, so it was good timing for that game,” he said with a smile.
Then 16 successful seasons with the Detroit Red Wings followed.
Today, Zetterberg has left public life. Unlike several of his former teammates in the Tre Kronor, he has not appeared in any major TV productions. He hasn’t competed at the Masters or tried to learn to dance at the best broadcast time.
The Detroit Red Wings icon also hasn’t chosen to continue his hockey career as a coach.
Start-ups and US ventures
His family has been residing in Sweden for several years.
“I live in Angelholm and go from there,” he says.
Together with his wife Emma Zetterberg, he runs several baguette restaurants. But that’s not the only thing the former NHL star is doing.
“I’m involved in a few different projects, both locally and a little bit here in Stockholm, and a little in Detroit.”
In Detroit, it’s about padel [pickelball]. Together with former teammate Niklas Kronwall, Zetterberg runs a padel company with a focus on the United States, he has previously told us.
“The padel is a bit low in Sweden, but it’s the right time to do something here,” he told the NHL’s website last year.
Zetterberg also sits on the board of directors with three relatively new companies that will be involved in the trade of cars and motor vehicles.
“It gets the days going, it’s going well,” he said.
Son’s hockey interest
The businessman is also a father.
Together with Emma, the 44-year-old has a son, Love. The Tre Kronor legend and son will soon follow Sweden’s progress in the Four Nations Face-Off.
“He’s very excited for that,” Zetterberg said.
But the tournament is being played in North America, which causes danger for father and son’s plans.
“We’ll try in some way to not look at the results and somehow be able to see the games after school, when he gets home. We’ll see if we can’t see the results.”
