Kent Nilsson

Kent Åke "Kenta" Nilsson (born 31 August 1956) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey centre. He played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Winnipeg Jets, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta and Calgary Flames, Minnesota North Stars and Edmonton Oilers, as well as teams across various European leagues. During his NHL career he was called "Mr. Magic" and "The Magic Man", referring to his exceptional puck skills. Wayne Gretzky commented on Nilsson's skills saying "Skills-wise he might have been the most skilled hockey player I ever saw in my entire career".[1] In 2006, he was featured on HCZ, a Swedish reality show as coach for a hockey team of non-athletes.

Kent Nilsson
Born (1956-08-31) 31 August 1956
Nynäshamn, Sweden
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Djurgårdens IF
AIK
Winnipeg Jets
Atlanta Flames
Calgary Flames
Minnesota North Stars
Edmonton Oilers
HC Bolzano
SC Langnau
EHC Kloten
EC Graz
Vålerengens IF
CH Majadahonda
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft 64th overall, 1976
Atlanta Flames
WHA Draft 11th overall, 1976
Toronto Toros
Playing career 19761998

He is currently working as a European scout for the Florida Panthers.

Playing career

Nilsson began his career during the season of 1973–74, playing for Djurgårdens IF during his first of four seasons in Sweden. He then came to North America, and played for the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association (WHA) beginning in 1977. He scored two consecutive 100-point seasons in the WHA, and his offensive production continued when the league merged with the NHL. He was claimed by the Atlanta Flames, and in his first season with the team he scored 93 points. The next season, 1980–81, the Flames moved to Calgary; Nilsson scored 131 points, which is still the team record, and he came third in NHL scoring.

Nilsson played with the Flames, wearing number 14, until 1984–85 when he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars for a draft pick that the Flames used to draft Joe Nieuwendyk. Nilsson won his first and only Stanley Cup while playing with the Edmonton Oilers in 1987. He returned to Europe after that season, playing in Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, and Norway. In 1988–89 he was named Player of the Year in Sweden. He returned to Edmonton for six games in 1995, which made him the last former Atlanta Flames player to play in the NHL. He then played briefly again in Europe until 1998.

Nilsson holds the NHL record for the quickest goal scored during a season-opening game, at ten seconds in, while playing for the North Stars versus the Quebec Nordiques on October 11, 1986.[2]

Awards

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Men's ice hockey
European Junior Championships
1974 Switzerland
1975 France
World Junior Championships
1975 Canada & USA
1980 Finland
Canada Cup
1984 Canada
World Championships
1990 Switzerland

World Hockey Association

National Hockey League

Sweden and International ice hockey

Records

  • Most points scored by a Swedish player in a single NHL season (131 in 1980–81)
  • Calgary Flames team record for points in a single season (131 in 1980–81)
  • Calgary Flames team record for assists in a single season (82 in 1980–81)
  • Calgary Flames team record for shorthanded goals in a single season (9 in 1983–84)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1973–74 Djurgårdens IF SWE 81234 1486142
1974–75 Djurgårdens IF SWE 2813122514
1975–76 Djurgårdens IF SEL 3628265410
1976–77 AIK SEL 3630194918
1977–78 Winnipeg Jets WHA 8042651078 9281010
1978–79 Winnipeg Jets WHA 7839681078 10311144
1979–80 Atlanta Flames NHL 8040539310 40002
1980–81 Calgary Flames NHL 80498213126 1439122
1981–82 Calgary Flames NHL 412629558 30332
1982–83 Calgary Flames NHL 80465810410 9111122
1983–84 Calgary Flames NHL 6731498022
1984–85 Calgary Flames NHL 7737629914 30110
1985–86 Minnesota North Stars NHL 6116446010 51450
1986–87 Minnesota North Stars NHL 4413334612
1986–87 Edmonton Oilers NHL 17512174 21613196
1987–88 HC Bolzano ITA 35607213248 8141428
1987–88 SC Langnau NDA 2202
1988–89 Djurgårdens IF SEL 3521214236 10110
1989–90 EHC Kloten NDA 36211940 5459
1990–91 EHC Kloten NDA 33373976 83811
1991–92 EHC Kloten NDA 171114258 20002
1992–93 Djurgårdens IF SEL 4011203120 62350
1993–94 EC Graz Alpenliga 30153348
1993–94 EC Graz AUT 278917
1994–95 Vålerengens IF NOR 61128
1994–95 Edmonton Oilers NHL 61010
1995–96 Nynäshamns IF SWE III 22356
1997–98 CH Majadahonda ESP 681220 23811
SEL totals 147908617684 72460
WHA totals 1588113321416 195192414
NHL totals 553264422686116 5911415214

International

Year Team Comp   GP G A Pts PIM
1974 Sweden EJC 5 8 7 15 2
1975 Sweden WJC 6 3 3 6
1975 Sweden EJC 5 5 5 10 0
1976 Sweden WJC 4 1 3 4 2
1981 Sweden CC 5 0 2 2 4
1984 Sweden CC 8 3 8 11 4
1985 Sweden WC 8 6 5 11 6
1987 Sweden CC 6 0 4 4 4
1989 Sweden WC 10 3 11 14 0
1990 Sweden WC 10 10 2 12 6
Junior totals 20 17 18 35
Senior totals 47 22 32 52 24

Family

Nilsson has been married since 2005 to Swedish golfer Helen Alfredsson. He occasionally caddies for her in professional events. He is also the father of Robert Nilsson, a former Edmonton Oilers player, from an earlier marriage.

References

  1. Top 10: Most Skilled Hockey Players
  2. "TSN Hockey's Need To Know: Season Opening Statistics - Article - TSN". TSN. 2017-10-04. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  3. "WHA Hall of Fame Members". Archived from the original on 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
Preceded by
Bo Berglund
Golden Puck
1989
Succeeded by
Rolf Ridderwall
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.