Carl Gunnarsson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carl Gunnarsson |
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Gunnarsson with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2012
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| Born | 9 November 1986 Örebro, Sweden |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 189 lb (86 kg; 13 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Linköpings HC Toronto Maple Leafs St. Louis Blues |
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| National team |  Sweden |
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| NHL Draft | 194th overall, 2007 Toronto Maple Leafs |
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| Playing career | 2005–2021 | ||
Carl Gunnarsson (born in Sweden on November 9, 1986) is a former professional ice hockey player. He was a defence player, which means he helped protect his team's goal. Carl played for teams like Linköpings HC in Sweden. He also played in North America for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Carl started playing hockey in Sweden. He was picked by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2007 NHL Draft. Even after being drafted, he played more in Sweden first. He later moved to North America in 2009. Carl played five seasons with the Maple Leafs. Then, he joined the St. Louis Blues in 2014. He achieved a huge dream with the Blues. Carl Gunnarsson won the famous Stanley Cup in 2019!
Carl also played for Team Sweden. He played in both junior and senior international games. He won one silver medal and two bronze medals at the IIHF World Championships.
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Carl Gunnarsson's Hockey Journey
Early Years in Sweden
Carl Gunnarsson was born in Örebro, Sweden. He started playing minor ice hockey at a young age. He played for junior teams like Örebro HK and Linköpings HC. In 2003, he was named the best young talent in his area.
Carl made his professional debut in the 2003–04 season. He played in the HockeyAllsvenskan league. Later, he joined Linköpings HC in the top Swedish league. He even scored his first goal in 2005 while on loan. Carl helped Linköpings HC win silver medals twice.
Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs picked Carl in the 2007 NHL Draft. He was the 194th player chosen overall. But Carl decided to keep playing in Sweden for a while. He signed a contract with the Maple Leafs in 2009. This started his professional career in North America.
Carl first played for the Toronto Marlies. This team is part of the American Hockey League (AHL). Soon, he was called up to the Maple Leafs. He made his NHL debut on November 14, 2009. His coach praised his strong play right away. Carl scored his first NHL goal in January 2010. It was against famous goalie Martin Brodeur.
Carl continued to play well for the Maple Leafs. He signed a new two-year contract in 2011. He was a key player for the team. In the 2011–12 season, he played a lot of minutes. Only the team captain played more. He had some injuries but always worked to get back.
In 2012, Carl played briefly for Örebro HK during an NHL lockout. He returned to the Maple Leafs after the lockout ended. He played one more full season with them. On June 28, 2014, Carl was traded. He moved to the St. Louis Blues team.
Winning the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues
Carl joined the St. Louis Blues for the 2014–15 season. He quickly became an important part of their defence. He faced some injuries during his time with the Blues. But he always worked hard to return to the ice.
In the 2015–16 season, Carl signed a new three-year contract. He showed his value by scoring a big goal. This goal helped the Blues qualify for the playoffs. He continued to be a steady player for the team.
The 2018–19 season was very special for Carl. The Blues were in last place early on. But they made an amazing comeback! Carl played a big role in their success. He helped them reach the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals.
A Key Goal in the Finals
The Blues were playing against the Boston Bruins in the Finals. They lost the first game. Game 2 went into overtime. Carl Gunnarsson told his coach he wanted "one more shot." He had hit the crossbar earlier. The coach agreed, and Carl scored the winning goal in overtime! This was the first time the Blues had ever won a game in the Stanley Cup Finals.
The St. Louis Blues went on to win the series in seven games. They won their first-ever Stanley Cup! It was a huge moment for the team and the city. Carl signed another contract with the Blues after this big win.
Carl played in the shortened 2019–20 season. It was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He had another injury in 2021. This injury ended his season early. On June 23, 2021, Carl Gunnarsson announced his retirement from hockey.
Representing Sweden
| Medal record | ||
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| Representing Sweden |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 2011 Slovakia | |
| Bronze | 2010 Germany | |
| Bronze | 2009 Switzerland | |
Carl Gunnarsson proudly played for Team Sweden. He played for both junior and senior teams. His first international game was in 2004. He played at the IIHF World Under-18 Championships.
Carl made his senior team debut in 2009. It was at the 2009 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. He scored the winning goal in the bronze medal game. This helped Sweden finish in third place. He won another bronze medal in 2010. His first silver medal came in 2011. Team Sweden beat the Czech Republic that year.
Life Off the Ice
Carl Gunnarsson is married to Josefin. They have two children together. They have a son and a daughter.
Awards and Achievements
| Award | Year | Ref |
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| NHL | ||
| Stanley Cup champion | 2019 | |
