Kent Nilsson
Encyclopedia
Kent Åke "Kenta" Nilsson (born August 31, 1956) is a retired professional ice hockey
centre
.
During his NHL career he was called "Mr. Magic" and "The Magic Man". In 2006 he was featured on HCZ, a Swedish reality show as coach for a hockey team of non-athletes.
He is currently working as a scout for the Florida Panthers
, operating out of Europe.
during his first of four seasons in Sweden. He then came to North America, and played for the Winnipeg Jets of the 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, Atlanta 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 (with 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.
International statistics
. He occasionally caddies for Helen in professional events. He is also the father of Robert Nilsson
, a former Edmonton Oilers
player.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
.
During his NHL career he was called "Mr. Magic" and "The Magic Man". In 2006 he was featured on HCZ, a Swedish reality show as coach for a hockey team of non-athletes.
He is currently working as a scout for the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
, operating out of Europe.
Playing career
Nilsson began his career in 1973–74, playing for Djurgårdens IFDjurgårdens IF Hockey
Djurgårdens IF Hockey are a professional ice hockey team based in Stockholm, Sweden. They are the ice hockey department of the sports club Djurgårdens IF. The department was formed in 1922 with the help of Wilhelm Arwe and have since then become Sweden's most successful team, having won the Swedish...
during his first of four seasons in Sweden. He then came to North America, and played for the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
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
Atlanta Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the...
, and in his first season with the team he scored 93 points. The next season, 1980–81, Atlanta moved to Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
; Nilsson scored 131 points, which is still the team record and he came third in NHL scoring.
Nilsson played with the Flames (with number 14) until 1984–85 when he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
for a draft pick that the Flames used to draft Joe Nieuwendyk
Joe Nieuwendyk
Joseph Nieuwendyk is the general manager of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League and a retired Canadian ice hockey player...
. Nilsson won his first and only Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
while playing with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
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.
Awards
- Won Lou Kaplan TrophyLou Kaplan TrophyThe Lou Kaplan Trophy was presented annually to the World Hockey Association's rookie of the year.-History:Lou Kaplan was one of the original owners of the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA. On August 10, 1973, the WHA officially named its trophies after the team officials at the WHA's founding...
(WHA Rookie of the Year) (1978). - Won Paul Daneau Trophy (WHA Most Gentlemanly Player) (1979).
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1980, 1981).
- Member of the Swedish World All-Star Team (1985, 1989, 1990).
- 1986–87 - NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
- Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
(EdmontonEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
) - Named Swedish Player of the Year (1989).
- Inducted into the IIHF Hall of FameIIHF Hall of FameThe IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which was established by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, when 30 individuals were inducted at the world championships in Helsinki...
(2006).
Records
- Most points scored by a Swedish player in a single NHL season (131 in 1980–81)
- Calgary FlamesCalgary FlamesThe Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
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 | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
+/- | PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | ||
| 1973–74 | Djurgårdens IF Djurgårdens IF Hockey Djurgårdens IF Hockey are a professional ice hockey team based in Stockholm, Sweden. They are the ice hockey department of the sports club Djurgårdens IF. The department was formed in 1922 with the help of Wilhelm Arwe and have since then become Sweden's most successful team, having won the Swedish... |
SEL Elitserien Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden... |
8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | 4 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 14 | — | 2 | ||
| 1974–75 | Djurgårdens IF | SEL | 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 World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926... |
80 | 42 | 65 | 107 | +27 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 10 | +2 | 10 | ||
| 1978–79 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 78 | 39 | 68 | 107 | +1 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 14 | -1 | 4 | ||
| 1979–80 | Atlanta Flames Atlanta Flames The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
80 | 40 | 53 | 93 | -3 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | ||
| 1980–81 | Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL | 80 | 49 | 82 | 131 | +15 | 26 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 12 | — | 2 | ||
| 1981–82 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 41 | 26 | 29 | 55 | -20 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | ||
| 1982–83 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 46 | 58 | 104 | +5 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 11 | 12 | — | 2 | ||
| 1983–84 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 67 | 31 | 49 | 80 | -24 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 77 | 37 | 62 | 99 | -4 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 0 | ||
| 1985–86 | Minnesota North Stars Minnesota North Stars The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white... |
NHL | 61 | 16 | 44 | 60 | +4 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | +2 | 0 | ||
| 1986–87 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 44 | 13 | 33 | 46 | +2 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
NHL | 17 | 5 | 12 | 17 | +10 | 4 | 21 | 6 | 13 | 19 | +11 | 6 | ||
| 1987–88 | HC Bolzano | LIHG | 35 | 60 | 72 | 132 | — | 48 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 28 | — | ? | ||
| 1987–88 | SC Langnau | NLA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Djurgårdens IF | SEL | 35 | 21 | 21 | 42 | — | 36 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | ||
| 1989–90 | EHC Kloten | NLA | 36 | 21 | 19 | 40 | — | — | 5 | 4 | 5 | 9 | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | EHC Kloten | NLA | 33 | 37 | 39 | 76 | — | — | 8 | 3 | 8 | 11 | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | EHC Kloten | NLA | 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 | Graz EC | Alp Alpenliga The Alpenliga was an international professional ice hockey league which existed between 1991 and 1999. It was contested by club teams from Austria, Italy and Slovenia.... |
30 | 15 | 33 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Graz EC | AUS Austrian Hockey League The Austrian Hockey League , called the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Austria.-History:... |
27 | 8 | 9 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Vålerengens IF Vålerenga Ishockey Vålerenga Ishockey is an Oslo-based ice hockey club, and a part of the Vålerenga IF multi-sports club. Their home arena is Jordal Amfi, located in eastern Oslo. Jordal Amfi was built for the 1952 Winter Olympics. The mother club was founded in 1913, but the did not take up ice hockey until the late... |
NOR GET-ligaen GET-ligaen is the premier Norwegian ice hockey league, organised by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation. The league was known as 1. divisjon until 1990, when it was reorganized and named Eliteserien . That name was held until 2004 when cable TV company UPC became main sponsor... |
6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Nynäshamns IF | Sweden-3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | CH Majadahonda | ESP Superliga Española de Hockey Hielo The National Ice Hockey League is the Spanish league of ice hockey.Two years ago the league was composed of eight teams, but due to financial problems in almost all clubs, the league has been reduced the number of participants year after year until only five today... |
6 | 8 | 12 | 20 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | — | — | ||
| SEL totals | 183 | 104 | 100 | 204 | — | 102 | 21 | 10 | 10 | 20 | — | 2 | ||||
| WHA totals | 158 | 81 | 133 | 214 | +28 | 16 | 19 | 5 | 19 | 24 | +1 | 14 | ||||
| NHL totals | 553 | 264 | 422 | 686 | -20 | 116 | 59 | 11 | 41 | 52 | +11 | 14 | ||||
| NLA totals | 88 | 71 | 72 | 143 | — | 8 | 15 | 7 | 13 | 20 | — | 2 | ||||
International play
- Played for Sweden in the 1973 European Junior Championships.
- Played for Sweden in the 1974 European Junior Championships.
- Played for Sweden in the 1975 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships1975 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships-Scoring leaders:-Tournament awards:-References:* . Retrieved 2011-10-18....
. - Played for Sweden in the 1976 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships1976 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships-Scoring leaders:-Tournament awards:-References:* . Retrieved 2011-10-18....
. - Played for Sweden in the 1981 Canada Cup1981 Canada CupThe 1981 Canada Cup was the second best-on-best ice hockey world championship and involved the world's top six hockey nations. Tournament games were held in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. The Soviet Union defeated Canada in a single game final to win its first title, while Soviet...
. - Played for Sweden in the 1984 Canada Cup1984 Canada CupThe 1984 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played during the first three weeks of September 1984. The best-of-three final took place between Canada and Sweden, with Canada winning two games to nil...
. - Played for Sweden in the 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships1985 World Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 1985 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Prague, Czechoslovakia from 17 April to 3 May. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once. The four best teams then played each other again. This was the 50th World Championships, and also the 61st European Championships of...
. - Played for Sweden in the 1987 Canada Cup1987 Canada CupThe 1987 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament held from August 28 to September 15, 1987. The finals took place in Montreal on September 11 and Hamilton, Ontario, on September 13 and September 15, and were won by Team Canada....
. - Played for Sweden in the 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships1989 World Ice Hockey Championships-Final Round:-Consolation Round:Poland was relegated to Group B.-World Championship Group B :Played in Oslo and Lillehammer March 30th to April 9th. The April 5th game between Norway and Austria was officially adjusted to 8-0 for Norway because of Siegfried Haberl's positive drug test...
. - Played for Sweden in the 1990 World Ice Hockey Championships1990 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships-Final Round:-Consolation Round:Norway needing to keep their final game within four goals, lost four to nothing to the Germans, and were relegated....
.
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Sweden | EJC | 5 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 2 | |
| 1974 | Sweden | EJC | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1975 | Sweden | WJC | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 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 | |
| International totals | 67 | 39 | 50 | 89 | 28 | |||
Family
Nilsson has been married since 2005 to Swedish golfer Helen AlfredssonHelen Alfredsson
Helen Christine Alfredsson is a Swedish professional golfer who plays primarily on the U.S. based LPGA Tour and is also a life member of the Ladies European Tour.-Amateur career:...
. He occasionally caddies for Helen in professional events. He is also the father of Robert Nilsson
Robert Nilsson
Robert Åke Nilsson is a Canadian-born Swedish professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, a former Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
player.