Eh, this entire negative Kronwall campaign is a bit farfetched. Not that I’d expect anything different from the source.
So what you’ve said is that Kronwall’s peak was as the 10th best defenseman in the league. He did so without any truly special physical attribute. Not sure if you understand how these things work but…
Being top 10 at any point in time borders on elite status, if not a lock. Simply making the NHL requires a certain level of intellect and ability that far exceeds what you’re giving it credit for. Most prospects on the long path for development aren’t going to be nearly as refined and developed as a multi-year vet who has hundreds of games played as a top 4, top 2 defenseman in the NHL.
So even if we take your position of Kronwall not being very smart, he’s still plenty wise enough to teach these prospects a couple dozen lessons, big and small, that he learned and applied in real life.
Especially for someone whose best years were when he got older and with average size, and average to below average mobility. Which, in turn, makes everyone question why you would think that Kronwall wasn’t smart in the first place. He literally survived in the NHL despite “physical gifts” that were middle of the pack at best.
Hitting and blocking shots aren’t physical attributes, they are the byproduct of the type of game a player implements based on how they see the game and position themselves.