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Näslund calls it quits after 15 years in the NHL

Sweden’s Markus Näslund, who reached the National Hockey League All-Star Game five-times and notched more than 800 career points, announced his retirement on Monday.

Published: 5 May 2009 06:46 CEST
Näslund calls it quits after 15 years in the NHL

The 35-year-old from Ornsköldsvik played 15 seasons in the NHL with New York and Vancouver and Pittsburgh. He had one season left on a two-year contract he signed last year with the Rangers.

“I would like to sincerely thank Glen Sather and the New York Rangers for giving me the opportunity this past season in New York,” Näslund said.

“I would also like to thank the Vancouver Canucks and all of their fans for their support over the 11-plus seasons I was a part of their organization, as well as to the Pittsburgh Penguins where I began my NHL career.”

Näslund scored 395 goals during his NHL career, including a career-high 48 goals with the Canucks in 2002-03.

He also posted 11 career hat tricks. Näslund reached 800 career points on December 27 against Calgary, and skated in his 1,000th career NHL game on January 17 at Detroit.

He made his NHL debut on October 1993 at Philadelphia after becoming Pittsburgh’s first round choice in the 1991 entry draft. In one of the most lopsided trades in Penguins’ history, he was traded to Vancouver from Pittsburgh in 1996 for Alex Stojanov.

Stojanov played parts of two seasons with Pittsburgh, scoring just two NHL goals.

Näslund reached the 40-goal mark three times (2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03), and surpassed the 30-goal plateau six times.

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HOCKEY

Sweden’s Rasmus Dahlin first overall pick in NHL draft

Rasmus Dahlin became just the second Swedish-born player to be selected first overall in the NHL draft on Friday when the Buffalo Sabres used the top pick on the rangy teenage defenceman.

Published: 23 June 2018 13:14 CEST
Sweden's Rasmus Dahlin first overall pick in NHL draft
Rasmus Dahlin is bound for Buffalo. Photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images/AFP
Dahlin, who plays for Frolunda HC in the Swedish league and was widely expected to be the first pick, follows Mats Sundin, who was the top choice of the Quebec Nordiques in 1989.
 
“I just want everything to start,” Dahlin said. “I'm going to bring everything I have to that city. I'm super excited. I can't wait.”
 
Russian forward Andrei Svechnikov went second to the Carolina Hurricanes and the Montreal Canadiens used the third pick to get Finnish centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
 
The draft had a decided Europe flavour as four of the top six players were Europeans. The first American was Brady Tkachuk who went to the Ottawa Senators at No. 4 and the Phoenix Coyotes took the first Canadian Barrett Hayton with the fifth pick. 
 
The 18-year-old Dahlin said he was happy to call Buffalo home despite the fact they haven't had a winning season in the past seven seasons and have missed the playoffs eight years in a row.
 
“It's amazing to finally put on the Buffalo Sabres' jersey,” Dahlin said. “I've been there twice. I love that city.”
 
The six-foot-three, 185-pound Dahlin was honoured as the best defenceman at the 2018 world junior championship in Buffalo, registering six assists in seven games. He also played twice for Sweden as a 17-year-old at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
 
At number six, the Detroit Red Wings chose the brash Halifax Mooseheads winger Filip Zadina who vowed to make teams that passed on him pay down the road.
 
“I'm telling my agent if they will pass on me, I will fill their net with the puck,” the Czech Zadina said. “Yeah, it's just I want to prove to them that they have done a bad decision.”
 
The lone trade of the day came before the draft when the Colorado Avalanche acquired backup goalie Philipp Grubauer and defenceman Brooks Orpik from the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals for the 47th pick. The Capitals were willing to get rid of Orpik and Grubauer so they could create salary cap space to sign free agents.