Näslund chechmates

Mats Näslund (born the October 31st, 1959 with Timrå, Sweden) is a ex-player of Hockey Swedish. It evolved/moved with the left wing.

Career LNH

Näslund was selected with the 37e with the Repêchage of entry in the LNH 1979. He was the second choice of the Canadian of Montreal. After having played the three subsequent years in Sweden, it joined the Canadians for the Saison LNH 1982-83. He became the first European player then to play for Montreal.

At its first season as a recruit, Naslund piled up 71 points in 74 parts, finishing with the third rank of the team behind Guy Lafleur and Ryan Walter. Its offensive qualities quickly gained the heart of the Québécois amateurs; it then is called " Small Viking" , in reference to its Scandinavian origins and its small size (5 feet and 7 inches).

The best season of Näslund will come in 1985-86. It marks 43 goals and 67 assistances for 110 points, a first for a player of Montreal since Lafleur in 1979-80, and the last " habs" to have reached 100 points (in date of April 2007). Its record of 67 assistances for a left ailer will be joined only in 1991 by Kevin Stevens of the Penguins de Pittsburgh (69 in 1991-92). Joe Juneau of the Bruins of Boston will exceed it with 70 assistances in 1992-93. During the series of 1985-86, it fast Swedish will carry out the markers of Montreal with 19 points whereas the Canadians gains to them 23rd Coupe Stanley, their last tonic with 1979.

Little penalized, Näslund will never add up more than 19 minutes of punishments per season. Its sporting spirit will be worth to him to steal by the vote the Trophée Lady Byng to Wayne Gretzky in 1988.

Naslund leaves the Canadians in 1990 to turn over in Europe. He plays one year in Suisse, followed by three seasons in his native Sweden. He returns in the LNH at the time of the lockout of 1994-95 for Bruins of Boston. He definitively leaves the LNH at the end of the season.

Naslund will be classified with the 11th rank in career of the markers of the Canadians with 612 points in 617 matches.

Statistical of career

International career

Näslund belongs to largest Swedish hockey players the, and in as long as such, it represented its country with many international tournaments. As a junior, it represented Sweden in 1978 and 1979 with the world championship of hockey junior, gaining a money medal 1978 and a bronze medal the following year.

Näslund will continue to take part in five championships of the world of hockey, gaining bronze in 1979, the money in 1981 and gold in 1991, its last presence with the event.

Since the championships of the world occur during the finales of the Stanley Cut, Näslund was often not available for the event during its best years to Montreal. Its single presence as an active player of the LNH took part in the tournament was in 1983.

Näslund obtained the chance to play for Sweden against the best players of the LNH in 1984, 1987 and 1991 at the time of Coupe Canada, the precursor of the World cup of Hockey. The Swedes inclined themselves in front of the Canada at the time of the finales in 1984. They have reached the semi-final in 1987 and 1991, losing against the Soviet Union and Canada respectively.

Näslund also took part in two of the Winter Olympics, in 1980 and 1994. Sweden gained the bronze medal in 1980 and the gold medal in 1994; this year, they will gain by demolishing Canada during the shootings of stopping. The gold medal of 1994 made it possible Näslund to be distinguished by deserving triple honor to have gained a Stanley Cut, the championship of the world and the Olympic championship in its career.

Honors, price and rewards

Team of Stars to the Championship of the world junior, 1978
Swedish Player of the year, 1980
Champion of the league of Sweden, 1980,1992,1994
Team of Stars LNH recruits, 1983
Named on the Team of Stars of the LNH, 1984,1986,1988,1989 (casualty, will not play))
Second team of stars NHL, 1986
Champion of the Stanley Cut, 1986
Trophy Byng Lady, 1988
World champion, 1991
Gold medal with Olympic, 1994
with the temple of famous the of the International federation of hockey in 2005.

See too

References

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