NEW YORK -- Sweden's Henrik Zetterberg is out of the World Cup of Hockey because of a knee injury.
Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland confirmed in a text message to The Associated Press that Zetterberg injured his knee during off-ice training. The Swedish Ice Hockey Association said Calgary Flames forward Mikael Backlund will replace Zetterberg on the World Cup roster.
"Henrik Zetterberg feels that he can't go 100 percent at the time of the World Cup and has to turn down the spot on our team," Sweden coach Rickard Gronborg said in a statement. "We feel that with Mikael Backlund we will get an internationally experienced player that is very versatile and responsible. His second half of the season with the Flames was very strong, where he showed that he is a premier all-around player in the NHL"
Zetterberg had been named Sweden's captain. He's the second Red Wings player to withdraw from Sweden's team because of injury, following defenseman Niklas Kronwall. The 35-year-old Zetterberg has 836 points in 915 NHL games and 85 points in 119 games of international play for Sweden.
A back injury forced him out of the 2014 Sochi Olympics after one game. Sweden reached the final in Sochi without Zetterberg and lost to Canada.
The World Cup begins Sept. 17 in Toronto.
