Andreas Lilja is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman. He began his professional career in 1995 with the Swedish team, AIK, where he played for four seasons before moving to North America to play in the NHL.
Lilja was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Kings in the 2000-2001 season and played with them for two seasons before being traded to the Florida Panthers in 2002.
After one season with the Panthers, Lilja was traded to the Nashville Predators, where he played for two seasons. He then signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings in 2005 and played with them for four seasons, winning the Stanley Cup with the team in 2008.
In 2009, Lilja signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks, where he played for two seasons before returning to the Red Wings for one final season in 2011-2012. He then signed with the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2012-2013 season, which would be his final season in the NHL.
Throughout his NHL career, Lilja was known for his physical play and defensive skills. He was a reliable defenseman who could be counted on to play tough minutes against the opposition's top players. He was also a good penalty killer and shot blocker.
After retiring from the NHL, Lilja returned to Sweden and played for a few more seasons with AIK before retiring for good in 2016. He then began coaching and worked as an assistant coach for AIK for a few seasons before moving on to coach other teams in Sweden.
Overall, Lilja had a successful career in the NHL, playing for several teams and winning a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings. He was a reliable defenseman who was known for his physical play and defensive skills, and he was respected by his teammates and opponents alike.
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