Niklas Kronwall should be ready for training camp says head coach Jeff Blashill

When it was announced that Niklas Kronwall wasn’t going to be available for team Sweden during the World Cup of Hockey, it raised some eyebrows. Was the Kronwall injury more serious than people thought? According to Jeff Blashill, Kronwall will be ready for training camp, which slightly overlaps with the World Cup of Hockey. 

Kronwall’s injured knee should be cause for concern this season, not only for his home country but for Red Wings fans as well. We’ve covered recently, just how big of a statistical drop Kronwall has had over the past few years and if this injury lingers for any longer then it should, Kronwall will only continue to be a husk of his former self.

The precaution of taking him out of the WCoH may have seemed like an over reaction considering the tournament is only an exhibition. The flip side for both the Wings and Sweden is that they will now get a player that can fill in adequately. Sweden replaced Kronwall with Hampus Lindholm and the Wings will get Kronwall at damn near 100%.

Both Blashill and Kronwall will be up against it this year as the team will be analyzed ad nauseam. Their stories may be more intertwined then we think. How willing will Blashill be relying on Kronwall? Is Kronwall still capable of a season befitting an NHLer? Usage will be important and these two will be front and center.