| Niklas Hjalmarsson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Hjalmarsson with theChicago Blackhawks in December 2014 | |||
| Born | (1987-06-06)6 June 1987 (age 38) Eksjö, Sweden | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | HV71 Chicago Blackhawks HC Bolzano Arizona Coyotes | ||
| National team |  Sweden | ||
| NHL draft | 108th overall,2005 Chicago Blackhawks | ||
| Playing career | 2004–2023 | ||
Niklas Hjalmarsson (born 6 June 1987) is a Swedish former professionalice hockeydefenceman who last played forHV71 of theSwedish Hockey League (SHL).
He previously also played for theChicago Blackhawks andArizona Coyotes of theNational Hockey League (NHL). Drafted in the fourth round (108th overall) by the Blackhawks in the2005 NHL Entry Draft, Hjalmarsson won threeStanley Cups (2010,2013, and2015) as well as a silverOlympic medal withSweden at the2014 Winter Olympics.
Hjalmarsson was drafted 108th overall in the2005 NHL Entry Draft by theChicago Blackhawks. He played professionally for three years in theElitserien withHV71.
In the2007–08 season, his first in North America, Hjalmarsson made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks. After spending the majority of the season with theRockford IceHogs, Chicago'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, he procured a regular spot on the roster after defencemanJames Wisniewski's trade to theAnaheim Ducks.
Hjalmarsson scored his first career NHL goal againstTy Conklin of theDetroit Red Wings.[citation needed]
Hjalmarsson became a key part of the Blackhawks' lineup late into the2008–09 season and to begin the2009–10 season. In 2009–10, he played 77 games in the regular season and all 22 in theStanley 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 the2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, a slapshot Hjalmarsson took was redirected by teammateAndrew Ladd to give Chicago a 3–2 lead in Game 6 of the2010 Stanley Cup Finals; the team won the game in overtime, 4–3, and eventually theStanley Cup.[1]
On 9 July 2010, shortly after the end of the season, Hjalmarsson signed a four-year, $14 millionoffer sheet with theSan 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 goaltenderAntti Niemi, who coincidentally ended up joining the Sharks later that off-season.[citation needed]
During2012–13 NHL lockout, Hjalmarsson played inItaly'sSerie A and in theIIHF Continental Cup withHC Bolzano.
During game 7 of the Western Conference's semifinal series against theDetroit 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 refereeStephen Walkom called offsetting penalties on Detroit'sKyle Quincey and Chicago'sBrandon 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 the2013 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 in2015, making Hjalmarsson one of only seven players to be part of the 2010, 2013, and 2015 Stanley Cup victories.
After the2016–17 season, his 10th year with the Blackhawks, Hjalmarsson's tenure with the club came to an end as he was dealt to theArizona Coyotes in exchange forConnor Murphy andLaurent Dauphin on 23 June 2017.[4] Hjalmarsson was named analternate captain for the Coyotes to begin the2017–18 season.[5] On 1 July 2018, Hjalmarsson signed a two-year, $10 million contract extension with the Coyotes.[6]
On 25 July 2021, Hjalmarsson retired from professional ice hockey after 14 seasons in the NHL.[7][8]
After one season away from professional play, Hjalmarsson came out of retirement to re-sign with HV71 on 10 November 2022.[9] After the 2022–23 season Hjalmarsson retired once again.[10]
| 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 | ||||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'sice hockey | ||
| Representing Sweden | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 | 2014 Sochi | |
| IIHF World U18 Championship | ||
 | 2005 Plzen | |
| 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 | | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Junior totals | 14 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | ||||
| Senior totals | 18 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||||
