After sitting out the entire 2021-22 season, Niklas Hjalmarsson is preparing to return to hockey for the 2022-23 campaign. The 35-year-old, who last played for the Arizona Coyotes in 2020-21, is preparing for a comeback with his hometown HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
The hectic start to the National Hockey League’s compressed offseason continued on Monday. The deadline to extend qualifying offers to restricted free agents ahead of Wednesday’s start of free agency came and went, and there were some surprises out of the Chicago Blackhawks’ camp.
In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the NHL is reportedly losing one its best defensive defenseman as Niklas Hjalmarsson is set to retire. Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights are signing a pretty good defenseman in Alec Martinez.
One of the best defensive defensemen in the modern era of the NHL is calling it a career. Often under-appreciated for the kind of reliable hockey he played for years, Niklas Hjalmarsson is rumored to be quietly hanging up his skates. According to Craig Morgan: “Per source, Coyotes UFA D Niklas Hjalmarsson is retiring.
The career of one of the best defensive defensemen of the modern era is coming to an end, as Arizona unrestricted free agent Niklas Hjalmarsson is set to retire.
The offseason has arrived with roughly half of the league finished up after missing the playoffs and several more having been eliminated. It’s time to examine what those teams need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Arizona.
Hjalmarsson is considering a return to the SHL’s HV71, which is where the blueliner played his developmental hockey.
Although we’re not even two months into the season, the trade deadline is just over a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We begin our look around the league with the Arizona Coyotes.
2020 has not been good to the Coyotes, but there is hope on the horizon thanks to new ownership and front office leadership.
With tight cap space, the Arizona Coyotes have been fielding interest on the team’s top two defenders – captain, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niklas Hjalmarsson.
When Niklas Hjalmarsson did not return to Saturday night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche after blocking a shot, Arizona Coytes’ players, executives and fans held their collective breaths that he hadn’t suffered a serious injury.
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