Yesterday it was announced that former Red Wings player Henrik Zetterberg is returning to his childhood club Timrå IK as an advisor. The news created a lot of excitement in Sweden, and Zetterberg did several interviews throughout the day following his appointment to the new role. Among others, Henrik spoke with the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. The original interview can be found here.
After spending a year in Detroit following the end of his playing career, Zetterberg has settled down in Sweden. He has made his home in the south of the country and has lived a quiet life in the years since retiring from hockey. Gaining more attention is not the purpose of his new role, and the humble Zetterberg said that the attention wasn’t something he was seeking when the role was announced.
“It’s not the public attention I’m seeking by taking on this role as an advisor. I’ve actually had this role for about a year now in Timrå, but we haven’t really made much of it publicly. I love hockey and have a strong connection to Timrå. Now we’ll be a team working to push Timrå forward, and I’ll focus on being a sounding board for young players and their coaches in the club to help them develop. I’ll also continue supporting Kent Norberg (GM of Timrå) with thoughts and opinions on potential signings. It’ll be fun to see what kind of development we can achieve together,” says Henrik Zetterberg.
Several of his former Detroit teammates have gone on to start careers in management and coaching. Zetterberg was asked about his future plans and whether a role as a sporting director or GM is something he envisions down the line. However, he was quick to play down those speculations.
“I have no plans to take over after ‘Nubben’ (current GM at Timrå) that’s not something I’m thinking about at all. I want him to stay in Timrå forever, and I think he’s doing a fantastic job. My passion lies in helping younger players make the same journey that I once did.”
Henrik Zetterberg was also asked about his connection with the Red Wings and whether he might use his current role to help Detroit. His former captain and fellow Swede Nicklas Lidström is also based in Sweden while serving as Detroit’s Vice President of Hockey Operations. The connection to Detroit is still there, but there is no official collaboration between Zetterberg and his former club at this point.
“Of course I’ll probably have thoughts and questions during the season. I have people around me who have worked in hockey and have a lot of experience. Almost everyone on the Red Wings staff today are my former teammates, and I feel like I always represent Detroit since I played there for so many years. But we’ll see how that can help me in my professional role.”
Finally, Zetterberg was asked how he expects Timrå to perform this season. The team has lost valuable pieces during the offseason, including Filip Hållander and Oliver Kapanen, who have both left for the NHL.
“There’s no denying that losing Filip Hållander and Oliver Kapanen is a big blow for the club. They did a lot for the team last season. But we have other guys who are very talented and maybe flew a bit under the radar last year. Now it’s up to them to take the lead and push the club forward. Timrå is in a good position to surprise, but they might not be a top team just yet. There are many strong top teams. I don’t need to name them, it’s obvious who they are.”
Oliver Kapanen played 18 games for the Montreal Canadiens last season but returned to Timrå on loan. The season was a success for Kapanen, who recorded 15 goals and 35 points in 36 games. It’s an impressive points tally in the defensively minded SHL.
Filip Hållander returns to Pittsburgh with the ambition of earning a roster spot with the Penguins. He has played in three NHL games for Pittsburgh and has also appeared in 104 AHL games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Swedish center is coming off a brilliant SHL season, finishing second in the league in both goals and points with 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games for Timrå.