Niklas Hjalmarsson

Niklas Hjalmarsson (born 6 June 1987) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman who last played for HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

He previously also played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted in the fourth round (108th overall) by the Blackhawks in the 2005 NHL entry draft, Hjalmarsson won three Stanley Cups (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 Ty Conklin 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 six of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final; the team won the game in overtime, 4–3, and eventually the Stanley Cup.

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. 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 Italy's Serie A and in the IIHF Continental Cup with HC Bolzano.

During game seven of the Western Conference's semifinal series against the Detroit Red Wings, with the score tied at 1–1 late in the third period, Hjalmarsson scored what appeared to be a go-ahead goal with 1:47 left in regulation time, but referee Stephen Walkom called offsetting 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 Blackhawks won the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. During the 2013 off-season, Hjalmarsson signed a five-year extension with the Blackhawks, at an annual average salary of $4.1 million.

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 and initial retirement After the 2016–17 season, his 10th 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 23 June 2017. Hjalmarsson was named an alternate captain for the Coyotes to begin the 2017–18 season. On 1 July 2018, Hjalmarsson signed a two-year, $10 million contract extension with the Coyotes.

On 25 July 2021, Hjalmarsson retired from professional ice hockey after 14 seasons in the NHL.

Return to HV71 After one season away from professional play, Hjalmarsson came out of retirement to re-sign with HV71 on 10 November 2022. After the 2022–23 season Hjalmarsson retired once again.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2001–02 Eksjö HC SWE.5 1 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2003–04 HV71 J20 15 1 3 4 14 2 0 0 0 8 2004–05 HV71 J18 Allsv 3 0 2 2 4 — — — — — 2004–05 HV71 J20 31 4 11 15 87 — — — — — 2004–05 HV71 SEL 14 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2005–06 HV71 J20 7 3 2 5 12 — — — — — 2005–06 HV71 SEL 4 1 2 3 0 12 0 1 1 4 2006–07 HV71 J20 7 0 2 2 14 — — — — — 2006–07 IK Oskarshamn Allsv 8 1 2 3 6 — — — — — 2006–07 HV71 SEL 37 2 0 2 24 14 1 1 2 0 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 HC Bolzano ITA 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 — — — — — 2018–19 Arizona Coyotes NHL 82 0 10 10 44 — — — — — 2019–20 Arizona Coyotes NHL 27 1 4 5 14 9 0 1 1 6 2020–21 Arizona Coyotes NHL 41 0 5 5 18 — — — — — 2022–23 HV71 SHL 17 0 3 3 4 — — — — — SHL totals 72 3 5 8 28 26 1 2 3 4 NHL totals 821 25 147 172 332 137 2 27 29 52

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2005 Sweden WJC18 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 6 0 0 0 0 2016 Sweden WCH 3rd 4 0 0 0 2 Junior totals 14 3 5 8 10 Senior totals 18 0 3 3 4