

Niklas Hjalmarsson was drafted 108th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and went on to spend 10 seasons with the organization. The Eksjo, Sweden native was part of all three of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup victories but his time with the team came to an end after the 2016-17 season when he was dealt to the Arizona Coyotes.

The 31-year-old missed a lot of time in his first season with the Coyotes and ended up missing the games against the Blackhawks in Chicago. However, he was in the lineup on Thursday night and got lots of love from the Blackhawks faithful during a video tribute.



Hjalmarsson played 623 games in a Blackhawks uniform and it was all he ever knew at the NHL level before the trade, so it was a very emotional moment for him. According to The Athletic Arizona’s Craig Morgan, head coach Rick Tocchet had to pull the defenceman off the ice after the tribute because he was brought to tears by the touching moment.



Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet pulled Niklas Hjalmarsson off the ice after the Blackhawks honored him with a video tribute so he could collect himself. Hjalmarsson, who was brought to tears when he saw his son on the board, was thankful. He called it a smart move by his coach. — Craig Morgan (@craigsmorgan) October 19, 2018

It was a move that took Blackhawks fans and most of the hockey community by surprise, but it’s nice to see Hjalmarsson get the proper tribute he deserved from the team that drafted him and gave him his first taste of NHL action.

(H/T Twitter/NHLBlackhawks)