Niklas Hjalmarsson

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Niklas Hjalmarsson
Born (1987-06-06) June 6, 1987
Eksjö, Sweden
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams 		Chicago Blackhawks
HV71 (SEL)
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft 108th overall, 2005
Chicago Blackhawks
Playing career 2004–present

Niklas Hjalmarsson (born June 6, 1987) is a Swedish ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.

Playing career

Hjalmarsson was drafted 108th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He played professionally for 3 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, he procured a regular spot on the roster with James Wisniewski's trade to the Anaheim Ducks.

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

Hjalmarsson became a major installment into the Blackhawks lineup late in the 2008–2009 season and coming into the 2009–2010 season. He played 77 games in the regular season and all 22 in the playoffs for the team, tallying over 19 minutes per game, switching between a position in the second and third lines of 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. A slapshot of Hjalmarsson's was redirected by Andrew Ladd to take a 3–2 lead in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals where his team won in 4–3 in overtime.

He won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.

On July 9, 2010 Hjalmarsson signed an offer sheet with the San Jose Sharks for 4 years and $14 million.[1] On July 12 the Chicago Blackhawks announced that they would match the offer sheet. Hjalmarsson was the first defenseman in 13 years to receive an offer sheet as a restricted free agent. Critically, Chicago's matching of the offer sheet meant that they did not have enough cap space to re-sign Antti Niemi, who ended up joining the Sharks later that offseason.

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

The Chicago Blackhawks won the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals.[2] He also became the 10th Swede to win the Stanley Cup more than once.

Career statistics

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 Swe-1 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 Serie A 16 6 16 22 8 — — — — —
2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 46 2 8 10 22 23 0 5 5 4
NHL totals 306 9 47 56 108 75 1 16 17 22
AHL totals 99 6 25 31 84 12 0 4 4 8
SEL totals 55 3 2 5 24 12 0 1 1 4

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Sharks sign free agent D Hjalmarsson to offer sheet". TSN. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
  2. ↑ "Blackhawks Defeate Bruins for Stanley Cup". New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2013. 

External links

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