Playing career

Ericsson originally began his playing career as a centre, playing all but one game of the 2001-02 season at the position for HC Vita Hästen's junior team. However, after playing one game as a defenceman, Detroit Red Wings scout Håkan Andersson convinced Ericsson to permanently transition to defence.

Ericsson was drafted 291st overall in the ninth round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft as the last player selected in the Draft by the Red Wings.

Throughout his next four seasons, Ericsson played for several teams in his native Sweden, a period of time which also saw him switching between centre and defence as his teams saw fit. After his 2005-06 season, Detroit signed him to a two-year, entry-level contract and brought him to the United States to play for their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Ericsson then played his first career NHL game on 22 February 2008, against the Calgary Flames, and scored his first career NHL goal the following game, on 26 February, against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mathieu Garon. Although he did not qualify under league rules to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup, Ericsson was nonetheless included on the 2008 Detroit Red Wings' Stanley Cup-winning team photograph, also being awarded a Stanley Cup ring for his efforts with the team. In the regular season of 2008-2009 he got 1 goal and 3 assists. On 16 April 2009, Ericsson played in his first post-season game in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings in Game One of Round One of the 2009 playoffs against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He recorded his first career playoff point in this game in the form of a goal.

In the second round of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks, Ericsson recorded two assists and also fought Ducks winger Corey Perry in Game 1 of the series. Ericsson would then score a goal and an assist in Detroit's Western Conference Final matchup with the team's division rival, the Chicago Blackhawks, and recorded two goals with an assist in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ericsson scored Detroit's only goal in their Game-7 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh. At the end of the season, he won the 2009 Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association (DSBA)-Detroit Red Wings Rookie of the Year Award.

In 2008, Ericsson signed a three-year contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings carrying an annual average of $2.7 million. In 2009-10 season, Ericsson scored four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 62 games.

In 2011, Ericsson signed a three-year $9.75 million contract with the Red Wings.

On 27 November 2013, Ericsson signed a six-year, $25.5 million contract extension with Detroit.

International career

Medal record
Representing Sweden
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
	2014 Sochi
World Championships
	2010 Germany

Ericsson's older brother, Jimmie Ericsson, is a forward currently playing for Skellefteå AIK in the Swedish Hockey League. The Ericsson brothers were set to play together professionally for the first time at the 2010 World Championships. Following Detroit's elimination in the 2010 playoffs, Jonathan joined Sweden's national team at the World Championships. The brothers were originally in the lineup together, though Jimmie injured his knee on his first shift, missing the remainder of the tournament; the two were never on the ice together. In the tournament, Jonathan Ericcson finished the tournament with the most average minutes per game amongst Swedish skaters, and was also selected as one of the best players on the team as selected by the coach. The brothers eventually played together for the first time at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where they won a silver medal after losing to Canada in the tournament final.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002-03	HC Vita Hästen	Swe.2		40	2	4	6	36		—	—	—	—	—
2003-04	Södertälje SK	SEL		42	1	0	1	12		—	—	—	—	—
2004-05	Huddinge IK	Swe.1		24	4	7	11	36		—	—	—	—	—
2004-05	Södertälje SK	SEL		15	0	0	0	4		1	0	0	0	0
2005-06	Almtuna IS	Swe.1		19	2	3	5	44		—	—	—	—	—
2005-06	Södertälje SK	SEL		24	0	0	0	20		—	—	—	—	—
2006-07	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		67	5	24	29	102		7	0	0	0	8
2007-08	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		69	10	24	34	83		—	—	—	—	—
2007-08	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		8	1	0	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
2008-09	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		40	2	13	15	48		—	—	—	—	—
2008-09	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		19	1	3	4	15		22	4	4	8	25
2009-10	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		62	4	9	13	44		12	0	2	2	8
2010-11	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		74	3	12	15	87		11	1	2	3	4
2011-12	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		69	1	10	11	47		5	0	0	0	6
2012-13	HC Vita Hästen	Swe.2		3	0	3	3	4		—	—	—	—	—
2012-13	Södertälje SK	Swe.1		4	0	1	1	6		—	—	—	—	—
2012-13	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		45	3	10	13	29		14	0	3	3	2
2013-14	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		48	1	10	11	34		—	—	—	—	—
2014-15	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		82	3	12	15	70		7	0	4	4	8
2015-16	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		71	3	12	15	56		5	0	1	1	2
NHL totals				478	20	78	98	386		76	5	16	21	55
SEL totals				81	1	0	1	36		1	0	0	0	0

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010	Sweden	WC	03 !		7	0	3	3	2
2012	Sweden	WC	6th		2	1	0	1	2
2014	Sweden	Oly	02 !		6	0	1	1	8
Senior totals					15	1	4	5	12

Awards

• Named to the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team in 2008.
• Named as Detroit Red Wings' "Rookie of the Year" by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association in 2009.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]