Anton Strålman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anton Strålman |
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Strålman with the Tampa Bay Lightning in December 2014
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| Born | 1 August 1986 Tibro, Sweden |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Timrå IK Toronto Maple Leafs Columbus Blue Jackets New York Rangers Tampa Bay Lightning Florida Panthers Arizona Coyotes Boston Bruins HV71 |
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| National team |  Sweden |
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| NHL Draft | 216th overall, 2005 Toronto Maple Leafs |
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| Playing career | 2005–2024 | ||
| Website | stralman.com | ||
Anton Strålman, born on August 1, 1986, is a former professional ice hockey player from Sweden. He was a defenceman, which means he played a defensive role on the ice. Anton played for many teams during his career. He played in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) for HV71. He also played in the National Hockey League (NHL) in North America.
Anton was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2005. He later played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes, and Boston Bruins.
Anton's Hockey Journey
Anton Strålman was chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2005 NHL Draft. He was the 216th player picked overall. Before joining the NHL, Anton signed a two-year contract with Timrå IK in Sweden. This was part of the Swedish Elitserien.
During the 2005–06 season, Anton quickly became a regular player for Timrå IK. His hard work was noticed, and he was nominated for the 2006 Elitserien Rookie of the Year award. This award goes to the best new player in the league.
Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs (2007–2009)
In May 2007, Anton signed a three-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He started playing professionally in North America in October 2007. His first NHL game was on October 23, 2007, against the Atlanta Thrashers.
Anton scored his first NHL goal on March 21, 2008, in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. A few days later, he scored two goals in one game against the Montreal Canadiens. This was his first time scoring multiple goals in an NHL game.
Time with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2009–2011)
Anton was traded twice in 2009. First, he went to the Calgary Flames in July. Then, in September, he was traded again to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He played for the Blue Jackets for two seasons.
Adventures with the New York Rangers (2011–2014)
After the 2010–11 season, Anton became a free agent. He tried out for the New Jersey Devils but did not join their team. In November, he signed a one-year contract with the New York Rangers.
Anton played well with the Rangers. In 2012, he signed a new two-year contract with them. During the 2014 playoffs, Anton helped the Rangers reach the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals. They played against the Los Angeles Kings but were defeated in five games.
Success with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2014–2019)
On July 1, 2014, Anton joined the Tampa Bay Lightning. He signed a five-year contract with the team. In his first season with the Lightning (2014–15), he had his best year for goals, assists, and points. He played on the top defensive line with his teammate Victor Hedman.
Anton helped the Lightning reach the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. They beat his old team, the New York Rangers, in the Eastern Conference Finals. However, they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Finals.
In November 2015, Anton played his 500th NHL game. In March 2016, he got injured with a broken bone in his left leg. He missed the end of the season and the first two rounds of the playoffs. He returned for the third round but the Lightning lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Later NHL Teams (2019–2023)
After five seasons with the Lightning, Anton signed with the Florida Panthers in 2019. He played for them for two seasons.
In 2021, Anton was traded to the Arizona Coyotes. He played one season with them.
In 2022, Anton joined the Boston Bruins on a try-out. He later signed a one-year contract with them.
Playing in Sweden Again (2023–2024)
After his time in the NHL, Anton returned to Sweden. In July 2023, he signed a one-year contract with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He finished his professional hockey career there.
Playing for Sweden
Anton also played for the Swedish national ice hockey team.
In 2016, he was chosen to play in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He played alongside his Lightning teammate, Victor Hedman.
In 2017, Anton was invited to play in the 2017 IIHF World Championship. He was cleared to play and helped Team Sweden win the gold medal. They defeated Canada 2–1 in the final game.
Career Stats Snapshot
Anton Strålman played many games in his career. Here's a quick look at his main stats:
- In the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), he played 146 games, scoring 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points.
- In the National Hockey League (NHL), he played 938 games, scoring 63 goals and 230 assists for 293 points. He also played in 112 playoff games.
Awards and Recognition
- Nominated for the Elitserien Rookie of the Year in 2006.
International Medals
| Medal record | ||
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| Representing Sweden |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2017 Germany/France | |
| Bronze | 2009 Switzerland | |
