Sports
Jonathan Ericsson
born 1984 · ice hockey defenceman
Swedish defenceman who was the very last pick of the 2002 NHL draft, yet spent his entire NHL career with the Red Wings and won the Stanley Cup in 2008.
- Born
Karlskrona, Sweden
age 42- Detroit years
- 2007–2018
- Field
- Sports
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Ericsson was Detroit's last pick in the 2002 NHL entry draft, taken 291st overall, and a Red Wings scout persuaded him to switch from forward to defense after just one game in the position. He signed with Detroit in 2006 and worked his way up through the Grand Rapids Griffins, the club's American Hockey League affiliate, before establishing himself as a full-time NHL defenceman. In 2008 he was part of the Red Wings' Stanley Cup championship team, and although he didn't qualify to have his name engraved on the Cup itself, he was included in the team photo and received a championship ring. The following season he broke into the playoff lineup for real, scoring twice in the Western Conference finals and adding the Red Wings' only goal in a tense Game 7 loss to Pittsburgh in the 2009 Final, a performance that earned him the team's Rookie of the Year award. He went on to sign three separate contract extensions with Detroit and played more than a decade for the only NHL club he ever knew.
Highlights
- Last pick of the 2002 NHL entry draft (291st overall), by Detroit
- Stanley Cup champion with the Red Wings, 2008
- Scored Detroit's only goal in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final
- Played his entire NHL career with the Red Wings, 2007–2018
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 2
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Played here · 2007–2017
Joe Louis Arena
Demolished · 1979–2019
The Red Wings' arena for most of his career, including the 2008 Stanley Cup; demolished in 2019.
Played here · 2017–2018
Little Caesars Arena
The Red Wings' downtown arena for his final NHL season.