Former Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg returns to junior team as sporting advisor.

Detroit Red Wings legend Henrik Zetterberg is officially returning to his roots. 

The former Red Wings captain has joined Timrå IK, the club where he launched his professional career, as a sporting advisor. The announcement was made this week by the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) club. 

Now 44, Zetterberg says his main motivation is to give back to the organization that shaped his early years and to support its development, particularly in the areas of youth player growth and internal club structure.

Zetterberg’s playing career is one of the most decorated in Swedish hockey history. He spent his entire 15-year NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, amassing 960 points in 1,082 regular-season games. He won the Stanley Cup in 2008 and was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP the same year. Zetterberg is also a member of the prestigious Triple Gold Club, having won a Olympic gold medal and a World Championship with Sweden.

Timrå IK, based in the small northern Swedish town of Timrå, currently competes in the SHL, the country’s top hockey division. The club returned to the SHL in 2021 after winning promotion from the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan. 

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Zetterberg’s ties to Timrå IK run deep. He broke into professional hockey with the club at age 19 and has stayed loosely involved in recent years, including offering informal advice on recruitment and team building. He also maintains a close relationship with the team’s current general manager Kent Norberg, which is expected to aid collaboration in his new role.

As a sporting advisor, Zetterberg is expected to work closely with the club’s management team to help guide the strategic and long-term development of the organization. His role will likely include mentoring young talent, supporting recruitment of both players and coaches, and helping bridge the gap between the junior system and the first team.

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