| Kent Nilsson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Nilsson in 2022
| |||
| Born |
(1956-08-31) 31 August 1956 (age 67) 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 | 1976–1998 | ||
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. 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]
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.
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.[citation needed]
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 Oilersin1987. 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.[citation needed]
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]
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]
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]
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | |||
| Preceded by | Golden Puck 1989 |
Succeeded by |
