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| 1976 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Kent Nilsson
Selected in fourth round
No.
64 overall by Atlanta Flames
Born August 31, 1956
 | Position:
Right Wing / Center
Height: 6-1 Weight: 185
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Stockholm Djurgarden (Sweden)
Birthplace:
Nynashamn, Sweden
Hometown: Nynashamn, Sweden |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1973-74 |
Stockholm | Sweden |
8 |
1 | 2 |
3 | 4 | | 1974-75 |
Stockholm | Sweden |
28 | 13 |
12 | 25 |
14 | | 1975-76 |
Stockholm | Sweden |
36 | 28 |
26 | 54 |
10 |
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PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
World Junior Championships: 1975 (bronze medal), 1976
(fifth place) (both unofficial tournaments)
European Junior
Championships: 1974 (gold), 1975 (bronze)
Sweden Points Leader: 1975-76 (Stockholm) (54 points)
Sweden Qualification Round Goals Leader: 1975 (Stockholm) (7)
Miscellaneous: Played in second World Junior Championships in Winnipeg and
Brandon, Manitoba, and third World Junior Championships in Finland. Both were
unofficial tournaments that helped set stage for first official World Juniors
in 1977. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 10, 1979 (Atlanta at Quebec)
Numbers:
14 (Atlanta/Calgary); 15 (Minnesota); 15, 14 (Edmonton)
Stanley Cup:
1987.
Playing Status: Retired for final time in 1998 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | | 1979-1995 |
ATL/CGY, MIN, EDM | 553 |
264 | 422 |
686 | 116 |
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| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A | TP | PIM | | 1980-1987 |
ATL/CGY, MIN, EDM | 59 |
11 | 41 |
52 | 14 |
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NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
All-Star Game: 1980, 1981 (Atlanta/Calgary)
Calgary Molson Cup (Three-Stars Leader): 1980-81
100-Point Seasons: 1980-81 (131), 1982-83 (104)
Atlanta/Calgary
Records: Most points in a season (131 in 1980-81), most assists in a
season (82 in 1980-81), most shorthanded goals in one season (9 in 1984-85),
longest consecutive-games goals streak (8 in 1983-84 , shared), longest
consecutive games assists streak (9 in 1984-85, shared), most first goals in
one season (14 in 1980-81), most game-tying goals in one season (4 in 1980-81,
shared)
Atlanta/Calgary Points Leader: 1979-80 (93), 1980-81 (131), 1982-83
(104), 1983-84 (80), 1984-85 (99)
Atl./Cal. Goals Leader: 1979-80 (40), 1980-81 (49),
1984-85 (37, tie)
Atlanta/Calgary Assists Leader: 1979-80 (53), 1980-81 (82), 1982-83
(58, tie), 1983-84 (49), 1984-85 (62)
Atlanta/Calgary Playoffs Points Leader: 1982 (3, tie),
1983 (12)
Atlanta/Calgary Playoffs Assists Leader: 1982 (3), 1983 (11)
Scouting Career: Named Edmonton amateur scout, specializing in Swedish and
European prospects, prior to 1995-96 season and remained in that position
through 2006-07 season.
Miscellaneous: Had goal and two assists for Atlanta in first NHL game, which was
also the first game in Quebec/Colorado franchise history. ... Set
Atlanta/Calgary single-season record (since broken) for power play goals (14)
in 1979-80. ... Played left wing for part of 1979-80 season. ... Was on Atlanta
team that relocated to Calgary on June 24, 1980. ... Became first
European-trained player to score 100 points in an NHL season when he achieved
feat in 1980-81. ... Set Atlanta/Calgary single-season record (since broken)
with 20 power-play goals in 1980-81. ... Missed most of 1981-82 season with
separated shoulder, an injury suffered when he tripped over Mark Pavelich's
stick and crashed into the boards during Calgary's Nov. 1, 1981, game at N.Y.
Rangers. ... Missed part of 1983-84 season with back pain. ... Missed end of
1983-84 season and entire 1984 playoffs with broken left leg, an injury
suffered during Calgary's March 29, 1984, game vs. Los Angeles. ... Left
Calgary in 1985 with franchise records (since broken) for career points (562)
and career goals (229). ... Missed part of 1985-86 season with back injury
suffered in Minnesota's Nov. 9, 1985, game vs. N.Y. Rangers. He developed a
viral infection following the injury and missed additional games. ... Missed
parts of 1985-86 season with separated shoulder, an injury suffered during
Minnesota's Jan. 7, 1986, game at N.Y. Islanders, and pulled groin, an injury
suffered during Minnesota's March 21, 1986, game at Edmonton. ... Missed part
of 1986-87 season with bruised ribs, an injury suffered during Minnesota's
Dec. 15, 1986, game at N.Y. Rangers. ... Left NHL for first time when he
accepted contract offer to spend 1987-88 season in Italy. ... Came back to NHL after
eight-year absence when he signed with Edmonton as a 38-year-old unrestricted
free agent on January 26, 1995. ... Retired as an NHL player on March 14,
1995. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: Solna (Sweden); Winnipeg (WHA);
Bolzano (Italy); Langnau (Switzerland); Kloten (Switzerland); Graz (Austria);
Oslo Valerengen (Norway); Nynashamn (Sweden); Majadahonda (Spain)
Canada Cup: 1981 (fifth), 1984
(second), 1987 (third)
World Championships: 1985 (sixth), 1989
(fourth), 1990 (silver)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
WHA Avco Trophy: 1977, 1978 (Winnipeg)
Italian Championship: 1988 (Bolzano)
Swedish Championship:
1989 (Stockholm)
Spanish Championship: 1998 (Majadahonda)
Sweden Player of Year: 1988-89 (Stockholm)
WHA Kaplan Trophy (Rookie of Year): 1977-78 (Winnipeg)
WHA Daneau
Trophy (Most Gentlemanly): 1978-79 (Winnipeg)
Sporting News WHA
Rookie of Year: 1977-78 (Winnipeg)
World Championships All-Star First Team: 1985, 1989, 1990
Winnipeg (WHA) O'Keefe Trophy
(Rookie of Year): 1977-78
Winnipeg (WHA) Molson Cup (Three-Stars
Leader): 1977-78
Sweden Canada Cup MVP: 1984
WHA Draft Pick: 1976 (by Toronto, No. 11
overall in Round 2)
Solna Records: Most goals in one season (30 in
1976-77)
World
Championships Points Leader: 1989 (14 points)
World Championships Assists
Leader: 1989 (11 assists)
Italy Points Leader: 1987-88 (Bolzano)
(158 points)
Italy Goals Leader: 1987-88 (Bolzano) (71 goals)
Italy Assists Leader: 1987-88 (Bolzano) (87 assists)
1977-78: Played on WHA regular-season champion (Winnipeg).
Miscellaneous: Stayed out of North
American pro hockey during 1976-77 and became a free agent. ... Signed
with Winnipeg as an unrestricted free agent in June 1977. ... Switched
from right wing to center in his first pro season with Winnipeg. ... Retired for first
time during 1995-96 season but came out of retirement to play in
Spanish league in 1997-98 season. ... Returned to Nynashamn, Sweden, after his
retirement and opened a hockey equipment dealership.
Personal: Nicknamed "Magic
Man" and "Kenta." ... Father of Swedish junior Robert Nilsson, a top candidate
for the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| WHA/TRADE: Nilsson did not sign with Atlanta
after the draft, instead choosing to remain in Sweden and later enter the WHA.
When the NHL and WHA merged in 1979, Atlanta took Nilsson back in the NHL
Reclaim Draft on June 9, 1979. Atlanta had made a pre-draft deal with the Jets
to guarantee that Winnipeg would not try to protect Nilsson as part of its
right to keep three players from its WHA franchise. Six years later, Calgary traded Nilsson and
choice of 1985, 1986 or 1987 third-round pick (Minnesota exercised option in
1986 and chose Brad Turner) to Minnesota in exchange for 1985
second-round pick (Joe Nieuwendyk) and 1987 second-round pick (Stephane
Matteau) on June 15, 1985. As part of the deal, Calgary agreed to pay $200,000
of Nilsson's $350,000 salary in 1985-86. |
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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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