Niklas Hjalmarsson

Niklas Hjalmarsson
Hjalmarsson with the Chicago Blackhawks in December 2014
Born (1987-06-06) 6 June 1987
Eksjö, Sweden
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Arizona Coyotes
HV71
Chicago Blackhawks
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft 108th overall, 2005
Chicago Blackhawks
Playing career 2004–present

Niklas Hjalmarsson (born 6 June 1987) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, an alternate captain for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has won three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks during his playing career, in 2010, 2013, and 2015, as well as a silver Olympic medal with Sweden at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Playing career

Chicago Blackhawks

Hjalmarsson was drafted 108th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He played professionally for three years in the Elitserien with HV71.

In the 2007–08 season, his first in North America, Hjalmarsson made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks. After spending the majority of the season with the Rockford IceHogs, Chicago's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, he procured a regular spot on the roster after defenceman James Wisniewski's trade to the Anaheim Ducks.

Hjalmarsson scored his first career NHL goal against Chris Osgood of the Detroit Red Wings.

Hjalmarsson became a key part of the Blackhawks' lineup late into the 2008–09 season and to begin the 2009–10 season. In 2009–10, he played 77 games in the regular season and all 22 in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the team, averaging over 19 minutes played per game, switching between the second and third defensive pairings. Over that time, he recorded a production value (PROD) of a point roughly every 45 minutes of it, while his season PROD was 89 minutes. During the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, a slapshot Hjalmarsson took was redirected by teammate Andrew Ladd to give Chicago a 3–2 lead in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals; the team won the game in overtime, 4–3, and eventually the 2010 Stanley Cup.[1]

On 9 July 2010, shortly after the end of the season, Hjalmarsson signed a four-year, $14 million offer sheet with the San Jose Sharks.[2] Three days later, however, on 12 July, the Blackhawks announced that they would match the offer sheet. Hjalmarsson became the first NHL defenceman in 13 years to receive an offer sheet as a restricted free agent, and, critically, Chicago's matching of the offer meant that they no longer had enough cap space to re-sign goaltender Antti Niemi, who coincidentally ended up joining the Sharks later that off-season.

During 2012–13 NHL lockout, Hjalmarsson played in the Italian Serie A and in the IIHF Continental Cup with HC Bolzano.

During game 7 of the western conferences semifinals against the Detroit Red Wings, with the score tied at 1-1 late in the third period, Hjalmarrson scored what appeared to be a go ahead goal with 1:47 left in regulation time, but referee Stephen Walkom called offseting penalties on Detroit's Kyle Quincey and Chicago's Brandon Saad just before the puck went in, so the goal was disallowed. Brent Seabrook went on to score the game winning goal in overtime, to win the series for the Blackhawks. The Chicago Blackhawks won the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals. During the 2013 off-season, Hjalmarsson signed a five-year extension with the Blackhawks, at an annual average salary of $4.1 million.[3]

The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup again in 2015, making Hjalmarsson one of only seven players to be part of the 2010, 2013, and 2015 Stanley Cup victories.

Arizona Coyotes

After the 2016–17 season, his tenth year with the Blackhawks, Hjalmarsson's tenure with the club came to an end as he was dealt to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Connor Murphy and Laurent Dauphin on June 23, 2017.[4] Hjalmarsson was named an alternative captain for the Coyotes to begin the 2017–18 season.[5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2004–05 HV71 SEL 14 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2005–06 HV71 SEL 4 1 2 3 0 12 0 1 1 4
2006–07 IK Oskarshamn Allsv 8 1 2 3 6 — — — — —
2006–07 HV71 SEL 37 2 0 2 24 — — — — —
2007–08 Rockford IceHogs AHL 47 4 9 13 31 12 0 4 4 8
2007–08 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 13 0 1 1 13 — — — — —
2008–09 Rockford IceHogs AHL 52 2 16 18 53 — — — — —
2008–09 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 21 1 2 3 0 17 0 1 1 6
2009–10 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 77 2 15 17 20 22 1 7 8 6
2010–11 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 80 3 7 10 39 7 0 2 2 2
2011–12 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 69 1 14 15 14 6 0 1 1 4
2012–13 Bolzano HC ITL 16 6 16 22 8 — — — — —
2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 46 2 8 10 22 23 0 5 5 4
2013–14 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 81 4 22 26 34 19 0 4 4 14
2014–15 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 82 3 16 19 44 23 1 5 6 8
2015–16 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 81 2 22 24 32 7 0 1 1 0
2016–17 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 73 5 13 18 20 4 0 0 0 2
2017–18 Arizona Coyotes NHL 48 1 8 9 18 — — — — —
NHL totals 671 24 128 152 256 128 2 26 28 46
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Sweden
Olympic Games
2014 Sochi
IIHF World U18 Championships
2005 Plzen

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2005 Sweden U18 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 7 1 4 5 6
2007 Sweden WJC 4th 7 2 1 3 4
2012 Sweden WC 6th 8 0 3 3 2
2014 Sweden OG 2nd, silver medalist(s) 6 0 0 0 0
2016 Sweden WCH 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 4 0 0 0 2
Junior totals 14 3 5 8 10
Senior totals 18 0 3 3 4

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Niklas Hjalmarsson's player profile". Hockey-Reference.com. 2014-03-04. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
  2. ↑ "Sharks sign free agent D Hjalmarsson to offer sheet". TSN. Associated Press. 9 July 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Blackhawks agree to terms with Hjalmarsson". Chicago Blackhawks. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  4. ↑ "Coyotes acquire Hjalmarsson from Chicago for Murphy, Dauphin". Arizona Coyotes. 2017-06-23. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  5. ↑ "Coyotes Announce Leadership Group for 2017-18 Season". NHL.com. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
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