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| 1976 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Thomas Gradin
Selected in third round
No.
45 overall by Chicago Black Hawks
Born
February 18, 1956
 | Position:
Center / Left Wing
Height: 5-11 Weight: 176
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Ornskoldsvik MoDo (Sweden)
Birthplace: Solleftea, Sweden
Hometown:
Solleftea, Sweden |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1970-71 |
Langsele | Sweden-3 |
14 |
11 | 2 |
13 | -- |
| 1971-72 |
Ornskoldsvik | Sweden |
did not play |
| 1972-73 |
Ornskoldsvik | Sweden |
11 |
5 | 1 |
6 | 4 |
| 1973-74 |
Ornskoldsvik | Sweden |
14 |
4 | 4 |
8 | 2 |
| 1974-75 |
Ornskoldsvik | Sweden |
29 |
16 | 15 |
31 | 16 |
| 1975-76 |
Ornskoldsvik | Sweden |
35 |
16 | 23 |
39 | 23 |
|
PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
World Junior Championships: 1974 (fourth place), 1975 (bronze medal), 1976
(fifth place) (all unofficial tournaments)
European Junior
Championships: 1973 (silver medal), 1974 (gold medal), 1975 (bronze medal)
Swedish Junior Player of Year:
1974-75 (Ornskoldsvik)
World Junior Championships All-Star First Team: 1974
European
Junior Championships Best Forward: 1974
Miscellaneous: Was forced to sit out entire 1971-72 Swedish Elite League
season because the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation rejected his transfer from
Langsele to Ornskoldsvik by a 7-3 vote. ... Played in first World Junior
Championships in Leningrad, second World Junior Championships in Winnipeg and
Brandon, Manitoba, and third World Junior Championships in Finland. All three
were unofficial tournaments that helped set stage for first official World
Juniors in 1977. ... Entered Swedish Elite League after turning 15 years old
in 1971. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 11, 1978 (Colorado at
Vancouver)
Numbers: 23 (Vancouver); 10 (Boston)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status: Retired 1990 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | | 1978-1987 |
Vancouver, Boston | 677 |
209 | 384 |
593 | 298 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | | 1979-1987 |
Vancouver, Boston | 42 |
17 | 25 |
42 | 20 |
|
NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
All-Star Game: 1985 (Vancouver)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost): 1982 (Vancouver)
Vancouver MVP:
1978-79 (co-winner)
Vancouver Molson Cup (Three-Stars Leader):
1982-83
Van. McLean Trophy (Points Leader): 1980-81 (69), 1981-82
(86)
Vancouver Most Exciting Player: 1978-79, 1981-82
Vancouver Most Gentlemanly Player: 1978-79
Vancouver Records: Most career points by a center (550)
Vancouver Goals Leader: 1981-82 (37)
Vancouver Assists Leader:
1978-79 (31, tie), 1980-81 (48), 1981-82 (49), 1982-83 (54), 1983-84 (57)
Van. Playoffs Points Leader: 1979 (5), 1981 (4), 1982 (19), 1986 (3)
Van. Playoffs Goals Leader: 1979 (4), 1982 (9, tie), 1986 (2, tie)
Van. Playoffs Assists Leader: 1980 (2, tie), 1981 (3), 1982 (10)
Boston Playoffs Assists Leader: 1987 (4)
Scouting
Career: Named Vancouver part-time amateur scout prior to 1994-95 season
and remained in that position through 1995-96 season. ... Named Vancouver
full-time amateur scout prior to 1996-97 season, had title upgraded to head
European scout prior to 1998-99 season and remained in that position into
2002-03 season.
Miscellaneous: Scored two goals and added one assist in his first NHL
game. His first goal came at 4:14 of the first period and was Vancouver's
first goal of the 1978-79 season. ... Played on line with Stan Smyl and Curt
Fraser for Vancouver in 1978-79. ... Missed part of 1978-79 season with broken
bone in left hand. ... Set Vancouver single-season records (since broken) for
points (86) and goals by a center (37) in 1981-82. ... Set Vancouver
single-season playoff records (since broken) for points (19), goals (9),
assists (10) and power-play goals (4) in 1982. ... Was first player in
Vancouver history to score at least 20 goals in six and seven consecutive
seasons. ... Missed parts of 1985-86 season with headaches suffered in October
1985, a broken right hand, suffered in Vancouver's Jan. 9, 1986, game at
Calgary, and a bruised shoulder, suffered in Vancouver's Feb. 28, 1986 game
vs. Philadelphia. ... Left Vancouver in 1986 with team records (since broken)
for career points (550), career assists (353), career playoff games (38),
career playoff points (38), career playoff goals (17) and career playoff
assists (21). ... Played key scouting role in Vancouver's decision to draft
Sedin twins first and second overall in 1999. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: Solna, Vasteras (Sweden)
Canada Cup: 1981
(fifth place), 1984 (second place)
World Championships: 1978 (fourth
place)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Izvestia Tournament All-Star First Team: 1977
Sweden Canada Cup Captain: 1984
WHA Draft Pick: 1976 (by Winnipeg,
No. 9 overall in Round 1)
Sweden
Playoffs Assists Leader: 1978 (Solna) (5 assists)
Education: Attended GIH University
in Orebro, Sweden, where he majored in physical education. The school
specializes in educating elite Swedish athletes.
Miscellaneous:
Spent part of 1977-78 season with Team Sweden (Tre Kronor) while in
college. ... Missed part of 1977-78 season with broken hand. ... Briefly came out of
retirement during 1996-97 season to play for Vasteras (Sweden). ... Worked as
physical education teacher in Sweden during off-seasons of his playing days.
... Took job as trash collector in Sweden during summer of 1980 so that he
could improve his upper body strength without having to lift weights. ... Was
offered lifetime position in Swedish Ice Hockey Federation in July 1985.
Personal: Full name is Thomas
Kjell Gradin. ... Older brother of former Swedish Olympic hockey player Peter
Gradin. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE: Chicago spent two years trying to lure
Gradin to North America, but was unable to agree to contract terms. The Black
Hawks ended the stalemate by trading Gradin's NHL rights to Vancouver in exchange for
a 1979 or 1980 second-round pick on June 16, 1978. Chicago exercised its
option in 1980 and selected Steve Ludzik. |
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|
SNAPSHOT '76 | | Total Selected: |
135 | | Forwards: |
83 | | Defense: |
39 | | Goaltenders: |
13 | | Major Junior: |
97 | | College Players: |
26 |
| Canadian: |
103 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
1 | | USA Citizens: |
23 | | U.S.-Born: |
23 |
| European: |
8 |
| Reached NHL: |
73 |
| Won Stanley Cup: |
8 | | Hall of Fame: |
1 |
| All-Star Game: |
12 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
2 |
| Olympians: |
6 |
| Picks Traded: |
15 |
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