Hronek, 23, completed his third NHL season with the Red Wings in 2020-21 and totaled a team-best 26 points (2-24-26) in 56 games as one of just two players, along with Marc Staal, to play in every game last season. Hronek also led Detroit in assists, power-play points (11) and average time on ice (23:23), while ranking second in shots (114), fifth in hits (67) and sixth in blocked shots (46). Since making his NHL debut during the 2018-19 season, Hronek is Detroit's highest-scoring defenseman, totaling 80 points (16-64-80) in 167 games. The Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, native began the 2020-21 campaign with his hometown club in the Czech Extraliga, racking up 23 points (10-13-23) and 18 penalty minutes in 22 games. Hronek finished the season representing his country at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, serving as an alternate captain and contributing four points (1-3-4) in seven games for the Czech national team.
Originally drafted by the Red Wings in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Hronek previously spent parts of three seasons with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins, racking up 65 points (19-46-65), a plus-25 rating and 93 penalty minutes in 108 games with the team from 2016-19. He also earned a spot on the 2018 AHL All-Rookie Team in his first full AHL campaign. Prior to turning professional, Hronek spent one season with the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit, where he was named an OHL Third-Team All-Star after tallying 61 points (14-47-61) in 59 games. Hronek has represented the Czech Republic extensively on the international circuit, including an appearance at the 2019 IIHF World Championship where he led the tournament's defensemen in scoring and was named Best Defenseman, in addition to recording six points (2-4-6) in 10 games combined between the 2016 and 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships.
