When Fabian Zetterlund was traded from the San Jose Sharks to the Ottawa Senators last March, it was something of a culture shock, both on and off the ice.
In San Jose, the weather was hot, but the team was cold and struggling in the standings. The trade forced Zetterlund to pack his bags and head for frigid Ottawa, where the situation was entirely different. The Senators were pushing toward their first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance in eight years, while the Sharks sat at the very bottom of the NHL standings.
Then there was the challenge of adjusting to a new locker room, surrounded by unfamiliar faces in Ottawa. But as it turned out, that was one thing he never needed to worry about.
“It was like stepping right into a big family,” Zetterlund recently told FACES. “Everyone was so kind and took care of me really well. And I also got to live with Timmy (Stützle), which was really nice. And he helped me through a lot that I didn’t know. The team is really close and most of the guys are still here this season. So it’s great to build on. We build every day and we’re gonna keep doing that, which is really good.”
The 26-year-old, who was born and raised in Karlstad, Sweden, admits that he certainly didn’t mind being able to wear shorts and a t-shirt to the rink in San Jose. But he also appreciates Ottawa’s winter, chilly as it may be.
“I lived in New Jersey before. For me, hockey is winter. So when I got to Ottawa, I wasn’t mad about the weather. It’s just when there’s a snowstorm and the roads are getting bad, that’s all. But as long as the sun is up, then it doesn’t matter to me how cold it is. I like the cold, crisp weather, which is hockey and winter for me.”
Zetterlund got off to a slow start in Ottawa last spring, and another slow start this fall, but finally caught fire with five goals and 10 points in 14 games in the month of December. Zetterlund seems to be on the same page as Senators head coach Travis Green, who preaches to his players that if you stick to the process and play the game the right way, the results will come.
“I always worked hard and I always wanted to be the best version of myself every day,” Zetterlund said. “And just at the beginning here, the puck didn’t really go in. But I always had in my bag that if I work hard and do the right things every day over and over again, everything will take care of itself. So I like to just stick with that and just keep it going and the goals and the points and the wins will come too.”
Senators GM Steve Staios has never had anything but faith that Zetterlund would be a good player for Ottawa. To get him from San Jose, Staios gave up forwards Zack Ostapchuk and Noah Gregor, along with a 2025 second-round pick. Then he doubled down by signing Zetterlund to a three-year contract last summer with an average annual value of $4.275 million.
No one who saw Zetterlund’s summer training video would ever question the value of his work ethic. The video made the rounds on social media last year and features Zetterlund deadlifting an insane 600 pounds. After the successful lift, he excitedly ran to the back of the gym to ring a bell, a tradition at the facility when someone hits a personal best.
But he wanted to clear the air on that. It’s not like he deadlifts pickup trucks all summer.
“I don’t really do those kinds of weights in the summer that much. The program we have is for power and speed. I just do one max lift every summer to see if I lost any strength or gained any. And of course, I gain, which means I’m trending in the right direction, which is nice. So no, the deadlifts are just once in a while in the summer.”
Summers for Zetterlund mean more than just training. He returns home in the offseason every year, which means a chance to visit with family. He grew up in a household of four with his father, Patrik; mother, Jenny; and younger sister, Frida. He says the best piece of advice his parents gave him was to be himself every day.
“I’m so thankful for all of them. They helped me a lot. My dad used to coach me and started taking me to the rink when I was two years old. I loved it right away and I started playing on a team when I was four. He was my coach until I was maybe 13 or 14. My mom always picked me up too and always had food ready when I got home.
“And the best part about it is they never pushed me into anything. It’s like I always wanted to drive myself in whatever it could be, winning on the street, playing something like basketball, street hockey, whatever it is, I wanted to win every single point.
“But, no, it’s been great and I’m so thankful I have them. And now they get to see me play in this league. It’s obviously nice too when they get over here. My mom hasn’t missed one game on the TV yet. So that’s really good too.”
As a kid, the NHL was never the dream for Zetterlund. He cheered for his hometown Karlstad in Sweden’s top pro league, and that was where he hoped to play one day.
“But then I got drafted in the NHL (2017 Draft, New Jersey, 63rd overall), and then you’re kind of thinking, I’ve got a shot to go over and play here. That’s when I started to realize I might have a chance to play in the NHL, which was really nice and really cool.”
One of Zetterlund’s great NHL supporters as he entered the pro ranks was Minnesota forward Joel Eriksson Ek, who also grew up in Karlstad. Joel’s younger brother, Olle, was Zetterlund’s teammate all through junior.
“(Joel) has always been there for me, supporting me. I took the same road as him, so I ask him questions every day about stuff. And he’s a pretty good player right now. And in the summer too, we do a lot of stuff together. It’s nice to be able to talk to someone who’s going through the same things, and wants the same goal and everything. So for sure he’s been great.”
As with a lot of good young Swedish hockey players, like Daniel Alfredsson for example, Zetterlund was an excellent soccer player. But in his teens, he had to make a decision on one over the other.
“I realized how much better I was at hockey, and how much more time it took for my soccer practices and stuff. So I had to quit soccer. I couldn’t just play games. But I think it’s great for kids to have different sports when they grow up and play.”
While playing hockey beat out soccer, watching hockey did not.
“I watch a lot of Premier League soccer. Manchester United is my team. So I’m cheering for them a lot, and I would say I’m a bigger soccer watcher than hockey.”
That’s not to say Zetterlund doesn’t watch hockey at all. His old Swedish team plays at around 1 pm, so he watches them when he can. After that, his free time in Ottawa is pretty quiet and casual.
“I like to walk around a lot. It could be going to the shopping mall or whatever. When I have visitors here, I just had my family over, my sister too. I like to show them around town, the Canal and everything, and a few dinner spots too.”
And that’s another thing that’s different about Ottawa. Being quickly recognized by fans when he’s out and about has been something entirely new.
“I would say it’s a whole different world. I mean, I played two years in San Jose and got recognized like four times on the street the whole time I was there. I got here and the first week, five or six people came up to me.
“No, it’s great when they come up and they talk to you about hockey and want a photo, autograph, or just talk. I’m always open to doing that stuff, which is really nice. So, yeah, I’m enjoying it here.”
Whether it’s embracing our winter, fitting in with the team, or earning the trust of its fan base, Zetterlund seems to have found his footing. What started as a culture shock a year ago now looks a lot more like a perfect fit.
