- Kent Nilsson
Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Centre
shoots =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 195
nationality = Sweden
birth_date = birth date and age |1956|8|31
birth_place =Nynäshamn , SWE
career_start = 1976
career_end = 1997
draft = 64th overall
draft_year = 1976
draft_team =Atlanta Flames
wha_draft = 11th overall
wha_draft_year = 1976
wha_draft_team =Toronto Toros
played_for = Djurgårdens IFWinnipeg Jets Atlanta Flames Calgary Flames Minnesota North Stars Edmonton Oilers
image_size = 200px
nickname = Kenta
Mr. Magic
The Magic ManKent Åke "Kenta" Nilsson (born August 31, 1956, in
Nynäshamn ,Sweden ) is a retired professionalice 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.Nilsson is the father of the
Edmonton Oilers 'Robert Nilsson .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 theAtlanta Flames , and in his first season with the team he scored 93 points. The next season, 1980–81, Atlanta moved toCalgary ; Nilsson scored 131 points, which is still the team record [http://www.calgaryflames.com/extra/pdf/recordbook/topseasons.pdf] , and he came third in NHL scoring.Nilsson played with the Flames until 1984–85 when he was traded to the
Minnesota North Stars for a draft pick that the Flames used to draftJoe Nieuwendyk . Nilsson won his first and onlyStanley Cup while playing with theEdmonton 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 Edmonton for six games in 1995, which made him the last former Atlanta Flames player to play in the NHL. He would then play briefly again in Europe until 1998.He is currently a scout for the Edmonton Oilers, operating out of Europe. His son,
Robert Nilsson , is currently playing for theEdmonton Oilers .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).
*Named Swedish Player of the Year (1989).
*Inducted into theIIHF Hall of Fame (2006).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)Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM PM PP SH GW GP G A Pts PIM 1973–74 Djurgårdens IF Sweden 8 1 2 3 4 - - - - 14 8 6 14 2/td> 1974–75 Djurgårdens IF Sweden 34 20 15 35 18 - - - - - - - - - 1975–76 Djurgårdens IF Sweden 36 28 26 54 10 - - - - - - - - - 1976–77 Djurgårdens IF Sweden 36 30 19 49 18 - - - - - - - - - 1977–78 Winnipeg Jets WHA 80 42 65 107 8 - - - - 9 2 8 10 10 1978–79 Winnipeg Jets WHA 78 39 68 107 8 - - - - 10 3 11 14 4 1979–80 Atlanta Flames NHL 80 40 53 93 10 -3 14 0 3 4 0 0 0 2 1980–81 Calgary Flames NHL 80 49 82 131 26 +15 20 0 8 14 3 9 12 2 1981–82 Calgary Flames NHL 41 26 29 55 8 -20 13 0 0 3 0 3 3 2 1982–83 Calgary Flames NHL 80 48 56 104 10 +5 16 4 6 9 1 11 12 2 1983–84 Calgary Flames NHL 67 31 49 80 22 -24 7 9 5 - - - - - 1984–85 Calgary Flames NHL 77 37 62 99 14 -4 9 3 3 3 0 1 1 0 1985–86 Minnesota North Stars NHL 61 16 44 60 10 +4 8 0 2 5 1 4 5 0 1986–87 Minnesota North Stars NHL 44 13 33 46 12 +2 8 0 1 - - - - - 1986–87 Edmonton Oilers NHL 17 5 12 17 4 +10 1 0 0 21 6 13 19 6 1987–88 HC Bolzano Italy 35 60 72 132 48 - - - - 8 14 14 28 - 1987–88 SC Langnau Switz. 2 2 0 2 - - - - - - - - - - 1988–89 Djurgårdens IF Sweden 35 21 21 42 36 - - - - 1 0 1 1 0 1989–90 EHC Kloten Switz. 36 21 19 40 - - - - - 5 4 5 9 - 1990–91 EHC Kloten Switz. 33 37 39 76 - - - - - 8 3 8 11 - 1991–92 EHC Kloten Switz. 17 11 14 25 8 - - - - 2 0 0 0 2 1992–93 Djurgårdens IF Sweden 40 11 20 31 20 - - - - 6 2 3 5 0 1993–94 EC Graz Austria 57 23 42 65 - - - - - - - - - - 1994–95 Vålerenga Ishockey Norway 6 1 1 2 8 - - - - - - - - - 1994–95 Edmonton Oilers NHL 6 1 0 1 0 5 1 0 0 - - - - - 1995–96 Nynäshamn Sweden-3 2 2 3 5 6 - - - - - - - - - 1997–98 CH Majadahonda Spain 6 8 12 20 - - - - - 2 3 8 11 - 9 seasons NHL career 553 264 422 686 116 -20 97 16 28 59 11 41 52 14 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 Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1976 World Junior Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1981 Canada Cup.
*Played for Sweden in the 1984 Canada Cup.
*Played for Sweden in the 1985 World Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1987 Canada Cup.
*Played for Sweden in the 1989 World Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1990 World Championships.International statistics
ee also
*
List of NHL players
*List of NHL seasons Family
Nilsson has been married since 2005 to Swedish Golfer
Helen Alfredsson .References
*Kent Nilsson [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=3977 on HockeyDB]
*"Total Hockey" (Second Edition), Editor - Dan Diamond, ISBN 1-892129-85-X
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