DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg is done playing hockey.
General Manager Ken Holland announced Friday that Zetterberg has decided not to continue his professional hockey career due to his back injury.
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Hollland: Zetterberg has decided to not play professional hockey anymore.
— Jamie Edmonds (@Jamie_Edmonds) September 14, 2018
Zetterberg, 37, has played 1,082 games for Detroit, scoring 337 goals and 623 assists. Despite his health issues he still scored 56 points in 82 games last season -- he didn't miss a game. Earlier this summer, Holland said Zetterberg told coach Jeff Blashill in January or February that he shouldn't practice and only play in games.
He finished out the season without practicing.
Now, as this season's training camp gets underway, Zetterberg has decided he cannot continue to play at this level after being unable to train all summer.
"It's kind of surreal, standing here and talking, and I'm done playing," Zetterberg told reporters Friday in Traverse City.
He will be placed on long-term injured reserve, giving Holland more cap space before the season begins. His contract with the Red Wings runs through the 2021-22 season, but Zetterberg has stated before he did not plan to play through the end of that 12-year contract. It was overwhelmingly front-loaded.
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Watch Zetterberg talk about his decision to end his career here: