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Don’t go counting Henrik Zetterberg out just yet.
That was the advice the Detroit Red Wings captain offered as the team arrived in Traverse City, Mich. to begin training camp for the 2017-18 NHL season.
Much was made out of a recent report by a Swedish media outlet that Zetterberg would play two more years and then call an end to his NHL career.
Not so, according to the man himself.
“First of all, that’s kind of not the full story that came out, but as everyone knows I’ve got four more years (left on his contract with the Wings),” Zetterberg explained. “I hope I can play four more years, that’s my goal, but also I know that I’ve gone through a few things with my body, especially my back.
“Even though the last few years have been good, you never know. I take year by year.”
Zetterberg, who would be 41 by the end of the four-year term left on his pact with the team, was insistent that the state of the hockey club would have no bearing on whether he’d continue to play. As long as he’s healthy enough to play the game, that’s what he intends to do.
“I don’t think that will have anything to do with it,” Zetterberg said of the Wings’ on-ice performance. “I want to play hockey as long as I can. The things that are going to decide if I’m not going to play anymore is my body.
“If I’m not healthy enough to play, I don’t play, but it’s been going better the last couple of years, and hopefully it will continue that way but I’m getting older, too. It is more and more of a grind to go through every season.”
Ultimately, it was the daily grind of what it took for him to remain an NHLer that convinced Nicklas Lidstrom, Zetterberg’s predecessor as Wings captain, to hang up his skates, but Zetterberg’s believes that alterations in his preparation regimen since he underwent back surgery in 2014 has enabled him to play with much less discomfort than in previous seasons.
“I think it really hit me after my back surgery,” Zetterberg said. “That’s when you really had to switch things around, especially in the summer, and also in-season.
“I think last year we had a good set-up of taking a few more practices off. We looked at the schedule and saw when we can get a little breather and rest the body, and I think especially with the schedule we have and the travel we have it’s key to find those days to kind of recoup.”
AA Update
Unless there are some midnight-hour negotiations ongoing, expect the Wings to hit the ice Friday minus restricted free agent forward Andreas Athanasiou, who is still without a contract.
“Talks are ongoing,” Athanasiou’s agent Darren Ferris confirmed via text.
Detroit coach Jeff Blashill downplayed the potential absence from camp of the player who was second on the team last season with 18 goals.
“We’ll have a plan ready for AA and a plan if he’s not here,” Blashill said. “My job as the coach is to make sure I maximize the guys that are available to me.”
Zetterberg didn’t believe that a player absent from training camp would be that much of a big deal.
“Every player probably goes through (a contract squabble) during their career and it’s the business side of it,” Zetterberg said. “There’s been players who miss camp and they’re back for exhibition games.”
The last Wing to miss training camp via a contract holdout was forward Kris Draper in 2000. He signed in time to participate in the exhibition season.
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