Staffan Kronwall played an internal match with Toronto.
Then he did the forbidden thing against Eric Lindros – and got a furious Tie Domi after him.
– I learned a little then, says the profile in the podcast Släpp Sargen.
Staffan Kronwall is perhaps most associated with his many seasons in the KHL, where he was team captain for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and a very popular teammate. Kronwall also always competed for Tre Kronor, oh there were games in several World Cups and Olympics.
Did the forbidden
But early in his career, there were also several seasons in the NHL, and during his first years in North America and the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was a teammate with superstar Eric Lindros.
– I had Niklas Wikegård as coach for many years, and there it was that, as you train, you play. So it was full of tackles in training, because that was how you wanted it. Just compete, compete, compete! We got over there and had the first intermatch, and then he cut in at blue, and it’s a red light in hockey, says Kronwall in the podcast Släpp Sargen.
Kronwall still thinks that Lindros may have had to blame himself a little, and he did not hesitate to put in the tackle.
– If you cut into blue, you must know that there will be a tackle. So I go up and put in a clean tackle on Lindros. And then damn, I had Tie Domi after me for the rest of the match, he says.
Chased by Domi
Tie Domi was for many years Mats Sundin’s great patron in the NHL, and he was not late to back the fixed star Lindros for that matter either.
– He would sort of fight with me, and I was not that interested in that. So he got a sick tackle from my back colleague that match. All the time he lay like a shadow over me, and as soon as Tie came close he came and boxed him out. I went in my own bubble the rest of that match, he says.
Kronwall had to defend himself afterwards – and he learned a valuable lesson.
– I had quite a few reporters after that match. There were probably 50 reporters with the mic in my face. I just: “Shit, I thought it was a nice tackle. There was nothing wrong with it, as well ”. But then he had come back from concussions and such. I learned quite quickly to hold back a little, and especially towards the stars.
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