Kent Nilsson

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.

Kent Nilsson
Nilsson in 2022
Born	(1956-08-31) 31 August 1956 (age 68) 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/Calgary Flames Minnesota North Stars Edmonton Oilers HC Bolzano SC Langnau EHC Kloten
National team	Sweden
NHL draft	64th overall, 1976 Atlanta Flames
WHA draft	11th overall, 1976 Toronto Toros
Playing career	1976–1998

Nilsson at Stockholm Globe Arena in 2023

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.^[3]

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 the remainder of his playing career in Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Germany until 1998 when he last played in the Spanish hockey league for SAD Majadahonda in six games, making Nilsson one of the few former Stanley Cup winners to play in the league.^[4]

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 11 October 1986.^[5]

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

• Won Lou Kaplan Trophy (WHA Rookie of the Year) (1978)^{[citation needed]}
• Won Paul Daneau Trophy (WHA Most Gentlemanly Player) (1979)^{[citation needed]}
• 1977-78 - WHA - Avco Cup (Winnipeg)^{[citation needed]}
• 1978-79 - WHA - Avco Cup (Winnipeg)^{[citation needed]}
• Inaugural member of the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame (2010)^[6]

National Hockey League

• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1980, 1981)^{[citation needed]}
• 1986–87 – NHL – Stanley Cup (Edmonton)^{[citation needed]}

Sweden and International ice hockey

• Member of the Swedish World All-Star Team (1985, 1989, 1990)^{[citation needed]}
• Named Swedish Player of the Year (1989)^{[citation needed]}
• Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2006)^[7][8]
• Inducted into the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame (2012)^{[citation needed]}

Records

• Most points scored by a Swedish player in a single NHL season (131 in 1980–81)^[9]
• Calgary Flames team record for points in a single season (131 in 1980–81)^[10]
• Calgary Flames team record for assists in a single season (82 in 1980–81)^[10]
• Calgary Flames team record for shorthanded goals in a single season (9 in 1983–84)^[10]

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

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