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Kent Nilsson, also called Kenta Nilsson, (born August 31, 1956 in Nynäshamn, Sweden) is a retired professional ice hockey centre.
Nilsson is the father of the New York Islanders' Robert Nilsson. During his NHL career he was called "Mr. Magic". In 2006 he was featured on a Swedish reality show as coach for a hockey team of non-athletes.
Playing career
Nilsson began his career in 1973-74, 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 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 Edmonton for six games in 1995, then played briefly again in Europe until 1998.
He is currently a scout for the Edmonton Oilers, operating out of Europe.
Awards
- Won Lou Kaplan Trophy (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)
- Named Swedish Player of the Year (1989)
- Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2006)
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 | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | PM | PP | SH | GW | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1973-74 | Djurgarden | Sweden | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 2/td> | ||
| 1974-75 | Djurgarden | Sweden | 34 | 20 | 15 | 35 | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1975-76 | Djurgarden | Sweden | 36 | 28 | 26 | 54 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1976-77 | Djurgarden | Sweden | 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 | -3 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1980-81 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 49 | 82 | 131 | 26 | +15 | 20 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 2 | ||
| 1981-82 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 41 | 26 | 29 | 55 | 8 | -20 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1982-83 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 80 | 48 | 56 | 104 | 10 | +5 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 2 | ||
| 1983-84 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 67 | 31 | 49 | 80 | 22 | -24 | 7 | 9 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1984-85 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 77 | 37 | 62 | 99 | 14 | -4 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1985-86 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 61 | 16 | 44 | 60 | 10 | +4 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1986-87 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 44 | 13 | 33 | 46 | 12 | +2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1986-87 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 17 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 4 | +10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 6 | ||
| 1987-88 | HC Bolzano | Italy | 35 | 60 | 72 | 132 | 48 | - | - | - | - | 8 | 14 | 14 | 28 | - | ||
| 1987-88 | SC Langnau | Switz. | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1988-89 | Djurgarden | Sweden | 35 | 21 | 21 | 42 | 36 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1989-90 | EHC Kloten | Switz. | 36 | 21 | 19 | 40 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 4 | 5 | 9 | - | ||
| 1990-91 | EHC Kloten | Switz. | 33 | 37 | 39 | 76 | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 3 | 8 | 11 | - | ||
| 1991-92 | EHC Kloten | Switz. | 17 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1992-93 | Djurgarden | Sweden | 40 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 20 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1993-94 | EC Graz | Austria | 57 | 23 | 42 | 65 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1994-95 | VIF Valerengen | Norway | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1994-95 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1995-96 | Nynashamn | Sweden-3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1997-98 | CH Majadahonda | Spain | 6 | 8 | 12 | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | - | ||
| 9 seasons | NHL career | 553 | 264 | 422 | 686 | 116 | -20 | 97 | 16 | 28 | 59 | 11 | 41 | 52 | 14 | |||
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 Championships.
- Played for Sweden in the 1976 World Junior Championships.
- Played for Sweden in the 1981 Canada Cup.
- Played for Sweden in the 1984 Canada Cup.
- Played for Sweden in the 1985 World Championships.
- Played for Sweden in the 1987 Canada Cup.
- Played for Sweden in the 1989 World Championships.
- Played for Sweden in the 1990 World Championships.
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 | - |
| 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 |
See also
Trivia
Married since 2005 to Swedish Golfer Helen Alfredsson.
References
- Kent Nilsson on HockeyDB
- Total Hockey (Second Edition), Editor - Dan Diamond, ISBN 1-892129-85-X
1956 births | Atlanta Flames players | Calgary Flames players | Edmonton Oilers players | Elitserien players | Stanley Cup champions | Minnesota North Stars players | National Hockey League families | National Hockey League 100-point seasons | Swedish ice hockey players | Winnipeg Jets players | Living people
"Kent Nilsson"