Jonathan Ericsson
Jonathan Ericsson ( born March 2, 1984 in Karlskrona ) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defender, who currently plays for the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League. His father Sven Eriksson and his older brother Jimmie Ericsson is also a professional hockey player.
Career
Jonathan Ericsson began his career in 2001 in the junior team of HC Vita Hästen as a striker, but soon moved to the position of the defender. After his first season, he was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL Entry Draft in 2002 in the ninth round at position 291. He was thus the last player of this vintage, which was drafted. In the season 2002/ 03 he played for the seniors team of Vita Hästen in the third-class Division 1, before he moved to Södertälje SK. For Södertälje he initially played in the top junior league in Sweden and then came but also increasingly for professionals in the Elitserien for use.
In the seasons 2004/ 05 and 2005/ 06 Ericsson starred alongside his missions in Södertälje and in the sub-prime HockeyAllsvenskan at Huddinge IK and Almtuna. Ericsson showed only limited abilities especially on the offensive and had hit in 81 games the Elitserien only once and prepared a single goal. Nevertheless, he was brought to North America in the summer of 2006, where he was to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins, the farm team of the Detroit Red Wings in the AHL.
He was able to establish itself without problems to the team of Griffins and was equal to an important player in the defense of the team. Even the offensive he developed much further and was with Derek Meech, who also collected 29 points scorer, top scoring defender of the team.
In the 2007 /08 season, he confirmed the achievements of the previous year, which is why he was invited to the AHL All-Star Classic. In February 2008, he convened the Detroit Red Wings for the first time in the NHL squad, as several defenders had failed and he made his debut on 22 February against the Calgary Flames. Overall, Ericsson played eight NHL games and scored one goal while. His AHL season, he had to end in April, as the Griffins missed the playoffs, but he could improve with ten goals scored and 24 assists in comparison to the previous season and was one of the pillars of the team.
In fall 2008, said Detroit head coach Mike Babcock that Ericsson was ready for the NHL, but he was not given a place in the squad of the Red Wings due to the number of defenders. Instead, he played one more season in Grand Rapids and was named one of the alternative captains of the team. After the previous season very convincing, however, Ericsson had problems expectations to fulfill. Especially on the offensive and in the power play, he could not play his abilities and remained until several weeks of injury in December 2008 with no results. He then showed significantly more consistent performances, but was thrown back again by another injury in February 2009. Shortly after the injury appointed him the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL squad, where he replaced the injured Andreas Lilja. Since Liljas recovery process showed no rapid progress, Ericsson remained for the rest of the regular season in Detroit and has also been in the playoffs to the root cadres.
Jonathan Ericsson is considered primarily as a defender, due to its body size preferred the physical game and his intensity on the defensive, but has since his move to North America in the offensive can set accents.
Awards and achievements
- 2008 AHL All- Star Classic
- 2010 bronze medal at the World Championships
- 2014 Silver medal at the Olympic Winter Games
Career Stats
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )