Kent Nilsson

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox ice hockey player

File:Kent Nilsson 2023.jpg
Nilsson at Stockholm Globe Arena in 2023

Kent Åke 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.

A prolific scorer during his era, Nillson was called "Mr. Magic" and "The Magic Man" during his NHL career, 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] Nilsson has the 10th highest career NHL points-per-game average of any player who scored at least 500 points, the most among any player not inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.[2]

Nilsson was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2006, the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in 2010, and the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

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. 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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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.[3]

Awards

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Medal record
Men's ice hockey
European Junior Championships

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World Junior Championships

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Canada Cup

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World Championships

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World Hockey Association

National Hockey League

Sweden and International ice hockey

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  • Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2006)[5][6]
  • Inducted into the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame (2012)Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Records

  • Most points scored by a Swedish player in a single NHL season (131 in Template:Nhly)[7]
  • Calgary Flames team record for points in a single season (131 in 1980–81)[8]
  • Calgary Flames team record for assists in a single season (82 in 1980–81)[8]
  • Calgary Flames team record for shorthanded goals in a single season (9 in Template:Nhly)[8]

Post-playing career

In 2006, he was featured on HCZ, a Swedish reality show as coach for a hockey team of non-athletes. After retiring, he worked as a European scout for the Florida Panthers.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Personal life

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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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 8 1 2 3 4 14 8 6 14 2
1974–75 Djurgårdens IF SWE 28 13 12 25 14 — — — — —
1975–76 Djurgårdens IF SEL 36 28 26 54 10 — — — — —
1976–77 AIK SEL 36 30 19 49 18 — — — — —
1977–78 Winnipeg Jets WHA 80 42 65 107 8 9 2 8 10 10
1978–79 Winnipeg Jets WHA 78 39 68 107 8 10 3 11 14 4
1979–80 Atlanta Flames NHL 80 40 53 93 10 4 0 0 0 2
1980–81 Calgary Flames NHL 80 49 82 131 26 14 3 9 12 2
1981–82 Calgary Flames NHL 41 26 29 55 8 3 0 3 3 2
1982–83 Calgary Flames NHL 80 46 58 104 10 9 1 11 12 2
1983–84 Calgary Flames NHL 67 31 49 80 22 — — — — —
1984–85 Calgary Flames NHL 77 37 62 99 14 3 0 1 1 0
1985–86 Minnesota North Stars NHL 61 16 44 60 10 5 1 4 5 0
1986–87 Minnesota North Stars NHL 44 13 33 46 12 — — — — —
1986–87 Edmonton Oilers NHL 17 5 12 17 4 21 6 13 19 6
1987–88 HC Bolzano ITA 35 60 72 132 48 8 14 14 28 —
1987–88 SC Langnau NDA 2 2 0 2 — — — — — —
1988–89 Djurgårdens IF SEL 35 21 21 42 36 1 0 1 1 0
1989–90 EHC Kloten NDA 36 21 19 40 — 5 4 5 9 —
1990–91 EHC Kloten NDA 33 37 39 76 — 8 3 8 11 —
1991–92 EHC Kloten NDA 17 11 14 25 8 2 0 0 0 2
1992–93 Djurgårdens IF SEL 40 11 20 31 20 6 2 3 5 0
1993–94 EC Graz Alpenliga 30 15 33 48 — — — — — —
1993–94 EC Graz AUT 27 8 9 17 — — — — — —
1994–95 Vålerengens IF NOR 6 1 1 2 8 — — — — —
1994–95 Edmonton Oilers NHL 6 1 0 1 0 — — — — —
1995–96 Nynäshamns IF SWE III 2 2 3 5 6 — — — — —
1997–98 CH Majadahonda ESP 6 8 12 20 — 2 3 8 11 —
SEL totals 147 90 86 176 84 7 2 4 6 0
WHA totals 158 81 133 214 16 19 5 19 24 14
NHL totals 553 264 422 686 116 59 11 41 52 14
NDA totals 86 71 75 146 56 14 9 13 22 22

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

References

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  1. ↑ Top 10: Most Skilled Hockey Players
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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External links

Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Guldpucken
1989 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
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