The Most Famous

HOCKEY PLAYERS from Sweden

This page contains a list of the greatest Swedish Hockey Players. The pantheon dataset contains 676 Hockey Players, 55 of which were born in Sweden. This makes Sweden the birth place of the 3rd most number of Hockey Players behind Canada, and Russia.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Swedish Hockey Players of all time. This list of famous Swedish Hockey Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Swedish Hockey Players.

1. Mats Näslund (b. 1959)

With an HPI of 44.35, Mats Näslund is the most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages on wikipedia.

Mats Torsten Näslund (born 31 October 1959), nicknamed "Le Petit Viking", is a Swedish former ice hockey player. He played as a left winger. Despite his small size at only five feet and seven inches, Näslund is best known for being one of the top forwards with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens from 1982 to 1990. In addition to the Canadiens, Näslund played for Timrå IK, Brynäs IF, and Malmö IF of the Swedish Elite League, and HC Lugano of the National League A between 1975 and 1994. He made a short NHL comeback attempt in 1995 with the Boston Bruins following the 1994–95 NHL lockout, and retired after the season's conclusion. In 1986, he won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens, and he won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1988. He is a three-time Le Mat Trophy champion, once with Brynäs in 1980, and leading Malmö to its only championship wins in 1992 and 1994. Internationally, he won gold medals at the 1991 World Championship in Finland and the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, making him a member of the prestigious Triple Gold Club. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2005.

2. Peter Forsberg (b. 1973)

With an HPI of 44.29, Peter Forsberg is the 2nd most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 30 different languages.

Peter Mattias Forsberg (pronounced [ˈpěːtɛr ˈfɔ̂ʂːbærj] ; born 20 July 1973) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player and former assistant general manager of Modo Hockey. Nicknamed "Peter the Great" and "Foppa", Forsberg was known for his on-ice vision and physical play, and is considered one of the greatest players of all time. Although his career was shortened by persistent injuries, as of 2021, he stands ninth all-time in career points-per-game and fifth all-time in career assists-per-game in the NHL, behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, and Connor McDavid. In 2017 Forsberg was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. His 19-year professional career includes 13 years in the National Hockey League (NHL), where he won two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche, as well as several individual honors including the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2003. As of the end of the 2017–18 season, he is the seventh-highest all-time Swedish point scorer in the NHL regular season. Before his short-lived comeback season in 2011, Forsberg never had a negative plus-minus rating, giving him an overall career rating of +238. Representing Sweden in international play, Forsberg competed in four Winter Olympics, two World Cups and five World Championships, as well as one European Junior Championship and two World Junior Championships, where he holds a scoring record of 31 points in seven games that some say may never be broken. He won four gold medals with Sweden in his career, winning titles at the 1992 and 1998 World Championships and the 1994 and 2006 Winter Olympics. Combined with his two Stanley Cup championships in NHL play, he is a member of the Triple Gold Club and the only Swede who has won each of the three competitions twice. In 2013, he was inducted to the IIHF Hall of Fame, and in 2014, he was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

3. Nils Nilsson (1936 - 2017)

With an HPI of 43.87, Nils Nilsson is the 3rd most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Nils Erik "Dubbel-Nisse" Nilsson (8 March 1936 – 24 June 2017) was a Swedish ice hockey forward and footballer. Between 1954 and 1967 he played 205 international matches and scored 131 goals, which is the second-best scoring result, behind that of Sven Tumba. He won the world title in 1957 and 1962, finishing second in 1963 and 1967 and third in 1958 and 1965. He competed at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Winter Olympics, and finished in fourth, fifth and second place, respectively. He was the best forward of the 1960 tournament and was selected to the all-star team at the 1962 World Championships. In 2002, he was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. Nilsson won only one national title, in his last season (1969). Yet he was awarded the Guldpucken award in 1966 as the best Swedish player and the Rinkens riddare award in 1967 for sportsmanlike behavior, and was selected to the Swedish all-star team in 1959, 1960, 1962, 1965 and 1967. Nilsson also played football with Djurgårdens IF, IK Göta and Karlstad BK, and won the national title with Djurgården in 1959. After retiring from competitions he worked as a product developer with Jofa, a Swedish manufacturer of sporting equipment.

4. Håkan Loob (b. 1960)

With an HPI of 43.64, Håkan Loob is the 4th most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Håkan Per Loob (born 3 July 1960) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player for Färjestad BK of the Elitserien and the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the head of European Scouting for the Calgary Flames after resigning as president of Hockey Operations for Färjestad. Considered one of the greatest Swedish hockey players of all time, he was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Swedish ice hockey Hall of Fame in 2012. The Elitserien created the Håkan Loob Trophy, awarded to the league's top goal scorer, in his honour in 2005 and Färjestad has retired his jersey number 5. Loob joined Färjestad in 1979 and was a member of the team that won the Swedish championship in 1981. He won the Guldpucken as Swedish player of the year in 1982–83 after setting single-season records of 42 goals and 76 points - which remain SHL records. He moved to North America following that season to join the Flames, who had selected him with a ninth-round pick at the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. Loob was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1983–84 and in 1987–88 was named a first team All-Star after becoming the first Swedish player to score 50 goals in one NHL season. He won the Stanley Cup with Calgary the following year, after which he chose to return to Sweden. Rejoining Färjestad in 1989, Loob won consecutive Guldhjälmen awards in 1991 and 1992 as the Elitserien's most valuable player as selected by his fellow players. He retired in 1996 to become the club's general manager. He managed Färjestad to four Elitserien titles in 11 seasons before being elevated to team president. Internationally, Loob represented the Swedish national team on several occasions. He was one of the first three members of the Triple Gold Club, signifying that he has won the Stanley Cup, the World Championship (in 1987 and 1991) and an Olympic gold medal (1994).

5. Tomas Jonsson (b. 1960)

With an HPI of 42.64, Tomas Jonsson is the 5th most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Alf Tomas Jonsson (born 12 April 1960) is a former ice hockey player from Sweden. He is assistant coach for the Danish national ice hockey team. Jonsson was drafted by the New York Islanders in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft in the 2nd round, the 25th overall pick. During the 1980 World Junior Championships he and Reijo Ruotsalainen were the media's selections as the best defencemen of the tournament. Jonsson made his debut for the Islanders in the 1981–82 season, winning a Stanley Cup championship with the team in his first season. The Islanders repeated as Cup champions again the following season. Jonsson played with the Islanders until 1989, when he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. He played with the Oilers only for the remainder of the 1988–89 season. After that he moved back to Sweden, playing with Leksands IF until 1998. He was named Swedish Player of the Year in 1994–95. In 1994 Jonsson won an Olympic gold medal. That made him one of the first three members of the Triple Gold Club, players who have won a Stanley Cup, a World Championship and an Olympic gold medal. Jonsson was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2000.

6. Ronald Pettersson (1935 - 2010)

With an HPI of 42.64, Ronald Pettersson is the 6th most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Erik Ronald Pettersson (16 April 1935 – 6 March 2010) was a Swedish ice hockey player. He played 252 international games for Sweden between 1955 and 1967, including thirteen World Championships and three Olympic Games. Between 1951 and 1967 Pettersson played for Surahammars IF, Södertälje SK and Västra Frölunda IF. He won the Swedish championship twice, in 1956 with Södertälje and in 1965 with Västra Frölunda. He won Guldpucken in 1959–60 as the most valuable player in Swedish Championship playoffs. After suffering a career-ending injury in 1967, Pettersson took on the role as head coach for the Swedish national junior team from 1968 to 1974, the Swedish national senior team from 1974 to 1976, and the Norwegian national men's team from 1978 to 1981. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2004, and his jersey #14 was retired by Västra Frölunda in 2002.

7. Kent Nilsson (b. 1956)

With an HPI of 42.40, Kent Nilsson is the 7th most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

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". 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.

8. Nicklas Lidström (b. 1970)

With an HPI of 41.90, Nicklas Lidström is the 8th most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Erik Nicklas Lidström (pronounced [ˈnɪ̌kːlas ˈlîːdstrœm]; born 28 April 1970) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman and current vice president of hockey operations for the Detroit Red Wings. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings from 1991 to 2012, which he captained for the final six seasons of his career. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defencemen in NHL history and nicknamed "The Perfect Human." Over his 20 NHL seasons, Lidström won four Stanley Cup championships, seven James Norris Memorial Trophies (awarded to the NHL's top defenceman), one Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff most valuable player, and was voted into 12 NHL All-Star Games. The Red Wings never missed the playoffs during his career, the longest streak of playoff appearances for a player in league history. Lidström was the first European-born-and-trained captain of a Stanley Cup-winning team, as well as the first European player named playoff MVP. Lidström is also the all-time leader in games played with a single NHL team by a European-born player. Lidström was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2014. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on 9 November 2015. In 2017, Lidström was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.

9. Mats Sundin (b. 1971)

With an HPI of 41.64, Mats Sundin is the 9th most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

Mats Johan Sundin (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈmatːs sɵnˈdiːn]; born 13 February 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), retiring in 2009. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played his first four seasons in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques. He was then traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1994, where he played the majority of his career, serving 11 seasons as team captain. At the end of the 2007–08 season, Sundin was the longest-serving non-North American-born captain in NHL history. Sundin last played for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2008–09 season before announcing his retirement on 30 September 2009. He appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 10 of his 18 seasons. Excluding his rookie season, the shortened lockout season and his half-season with Vancouver, Sundin scored at least 70 points in every season of his career, played at least 70 games in every season and led the Maple Leafs in points in every year he was with the team, with the exception of the 2002–03 season, when Alexander Mogilny surpassed him by seven points. On 14 October 2006, Sundin became the first Swedish player to score 500 goals. He is the Maple Leafs' franchise all-time leader in goals (420) and points (987). Over his career, Sundin averaged just over a point per game (1,349 points in 1,346 NHL games). Internationally, Sundin won three gold medals with Sweden at the World Championships and was the team captain for Sweden's gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Sundin was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on 26 June 2012, in his first year of eligibility. He became the second Swede, following Börje Salming (another long-time Maple Leafs player), to be chosen to the Hall of Fame. Sundin was also inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2017 Sundin was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

10. Bengt-Åke Gustafsson (b. 1958)

With an HPI of 41.58, Bengt-Åke Gustafsson is the 10th most famous Swedish Hockey Player. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Bengt-Åke Gustafsson (born 23 March 1958) is a Swedish ice hockey coach and former ice hockey player. Gustafsson is a former head coach of the Sweden men's national ice hockey team, a post he held from February 2005 to May 2010. During his North American career, including two games in the World Hockey Association then nine seasons in the National Hockey League with the Washington Capitals, he was often called Bengt Gustafsson or Gus. The Capitals also selected Gustafsson's son, Anton Gustafsson, with the first of their two first-round picks in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In 2003, Gustafsson was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame as a player.

People

Pantheon has 72 people classified as Swedish hockey players born between 1934 and 2000. Of these 72, 68 (94.44%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Swedish hockey players include Mats Näslund, Peter Forsberg, and Håkan Loob. The most famous deceased Swedish hockey players include Nils Nilsson, Ronald Pettersson, and Lars-Eric Lundvall. As of April 2024, 17 new Swedish hockey players have been added to Pantheon including Kent Nilsson, Lars-Eric Lundvall, and Ulf Samuelsson.