Red Wings Press Release

DETROIT - General Manager Ken Holland today announced that the Detroit Red Wings have re-signed defensemen Niklas Kronwall to a two-year contract. In keeping with club policy, additional terms of the contracts are not available.

Kronwall (24, 6-0, 195) was drafted by Detroit in the first round (29th overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He signed with the Wings in 2003 and joined the Grand Rapids Griffins for the start of the season before being called up to Detroit in December. He appeared in 20 games for the Red Wings (1-4--5) before suffering a fractured leg during warm-ups prior to a game vs. the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 22, 2004 and missed the remainder of the season.

Kronwall had a strong 2004-05 year, leading the entire Grand Rapids squad in scoring with 53 points in 76 games (13-40--53). He was the American Hockey Leagues top scoring defensman and was the first European-born player to win the Eddie Shore Award as the AHLs best defenseman.

Kronwall was selected to the All-Star Team for the 2005 World Championships in Austria after scoring three goals and three assists for six points and posting a +7 in nine tournament games. Joining Kronwall on the All-Star Team were Jaromir Jagr, Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, Marek Zidlicky and Tomas Vokoun.