Kent Nilsson

Kent Nilsson
Born	(1956-08-31) 31 August 1956 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 Winnipeg Jets Atlanta Flames Calgary Flames Minnesota North Stars Edmonton Oilers
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	64th overall, 1976 Atlanta Flames
WHA Draft	11th overall, 1976 Toronto Toros
Playing career	1976–1998

Kent Åke "Kenta" Nilsson (born 31 August 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 European scout for the Florida Panthers.

Playing career

Nilsson began his career in 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 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, the Flames 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.

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)
• 1986–87 – NHL – Stanley Cup (Edmonton)
• Named Swedish Player of the Year (1989)
• Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2006)
• Inaugural member of the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame (2010)

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)
• 6th fastest player in NHL history to score 300 points (215 GP) behind Wayne Gretzky (159), Mario Lemieux (186), Peter Stastny (186), Eric Lindros (210) & Cy Denneny (212)
• 8th fastest player in NHL history to score 400 points (298 GP) behind Wayne Gretzky (197), Mario Lemieux (240), Peter Stastny (247), Eric Lindros (277), Mike Bossy (283), Sidney Crosby (292) & Bryan Trottier (296)
• 9th fastest player in NHL history to score 500 points (372 GP) behind Wayne Gretzky (234), Mario Lemieux (287), Peter Stastny (322), Mike Bossy (349), Eric Lindros (352), Jari Kurri (356), Bryan Trottier (362) & Sidney Crosby (369)

Career statistics

				Regular season							Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM
1973–74	Djurgårdens IF	SEL		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		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	NHL		80	40	53	93	-3	10		4	0	0	0	—	2
1980–81	Calgary Flames	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	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	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		30	15	33	48	—	—		—	—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Graz EC	AUS		27	8	9	17	—	—		—	—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Vålerengens IF	NOR		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		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 Championships.
• Played for Sweden in the 1976 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
• Played for Sweden in the 1981 Canada Cup.
• Played for Sweden in the 1984 Canada Cup.
• Played for Sweden in the 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships.
• Played for Sweden in the 1987 Canada Cup.
• Played for Sweden in the 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships.
• Played for Sweden in the 1990 World Ice Hockey 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	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 Alfredsson. He occasionally caddies for her in professional events. He is also the father of Robert Nilsson, a former Edmonton Oilers player, in an earlier marriage.

External links

• Kent Nilsson's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Kent Nilsson's career statistics at EliteProspects.com

Preceded by Bo Berglund

Golden Puck 1989

Succeeded by Rolf Ridderwall