Mattias Öhlund facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mattias Öhlund
Öhlund with the Tampa Bay Lightning in December 2009
Born	(1976-09-09) 9 September 1976 (age 48) Piteå, Sweden
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	233 lb (106 kg; 16 st 9 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Luleå HF Vancouver Canucks Tampa Bay Lightning
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	13th overall, 1994 Vancouver Canucks
Playing career	1992–2011
Medal record Representing  Sweden Ice hockey Winter Olympics Gold 2006 Turin World Championships Gold 1998 Switzerland Silver 1997 Finland Bronze 2001 Germany World Junior Championships Silver 1994 Czech Republic Silver 1996 United States Bronze 1995 Canada

Mattias Öhlund, born on September 9, 1976, is a former professional ice hockey player from Sweden. He was a defenceman, which means he played a key role in protecting his team's goal. Öhlund played most of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Vancouver Canucks and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Before joining the NHL, Öhlund played in Sweden's top hockey leagues. He was picked by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1994 NHL Draft. He started his NHL journey in 1997 and played for the Canucks for 11 seasons. During this time, he became one of their best defencemen ever, setting records for points. After his time with the Canucks, he played two more seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning before he stopped playing in 2011. Mattias Öhlund was known for being a strong player, but he also faced many injuries throughout his career.

Öhlund also proudly represented Sweden in many international tournaments. He won a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics and another gold at the 1998 Ice Hockey World Championships. He also earned several silver and bronze medals in other major competitions.

Mattias Öhlund's Hockey Journey

Starting in Sweden

Mattias Öhlund began his hockey career in his hometown of Piteå, Sweden. He played for the local team, Piteå HC, for two seasons. He was a big and fast defenceman, which made him stand out to scouts from many NHL teams.

The Vancouver Canucks chose Öhlund as their first pick, 13th overall, in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. Instead of going straight to the NHL, Öhlund decided to stay in Sweden. He joined Luleå HF, a team in the top Swedish league called the Elitserien. In his first season there, he scored 16 points in 34 games. The next year, his team, Luleå HF, won the Le Mat Trophy, which is the championship for the Swedish league. This was their first time winning it!

Joining the Vancouver Canucks

Öhlund on the road with Vancouver in March 2009.

Four years after being drafted, Öhlund was almost able to be picked by another NHL team. But then, he signed a big contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in August 1997. The contract was worth $10 million over five years. The Canucks, who had drafted him, were allowed to offer only $850,000 per year.

Under the rules, the Canucks had one week to either match the offer or trade Öhlund to the Maple Leafs. To keep him, the Canucks agreed to the contract.

Öhlund played his first NHL game in Japan on October 3, 1997. This was part of a special event for the 1998 Winter Olympics, which was the first time NHL players could join the Olympic ice hockey tournament. He scored his first NHL goal and got his first assist on October 9 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As a rookie, Öhlund played 77 games and scored 7 goals and 30 points. This made him one of the top-scoring defencemen on his team. He won the Babe Pratt Trophy as the Canucks' best defenceman. He was also nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the best rookie in the league. He finished second in the voting and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.

In his second season, Öhlund was chosen to play in the 1999 National Hockey League All-Star Game. He played for the World team, which was made up of NHL players from outside North America. He scored one goal and had an assist in the game. That season, he led the Canucks' defencemen in scoring with 9 goals and 35 points in 74 games.

Overcoming Injuries

Before the 1999–2000 season, Öhlund suffered a serious eye injury during a pre-season game. A puck hit him in the right eye, causing him to miss the first 38 games of the season. He had surgery to fix his vision and returned to play, scoring 20 points in 42 games. He won the Babe Pratt Trophy again that year. The next year, he missed more games because he needed another surgery on his eye.

Despite these challenges, Öhlund continued to play well. In the 2001–02 season, he played 81 games and set a career high with 36 points. He also played in his first Stanley Cup playoffs. In the 2002–03 season, he had a knee injury but still managed to set a career high with 27 assists. He played in a career-high 13 playoff games that year.

In the 2003–04 season, Öhlund scored a career-high 14 goals and played in all 82 games for the first time. He won the Babe Pratt Trophy for the third time.

The 2004–05 NHL season was cancelled due to a lockout. Öhlund briefly played for his old team, Luleå HF, in Sweden. He also took part in a charity hockey game that raised almost $1 million. When the NHL returned for the 2005–06 season, Öhlund scored 33 points in 78 games and won the Babe Pratt Trophy for the fourth time.

In the 2007–08 season, Öhlund received his first suspension for an incident where he accidentally injured an opponent. After returning, he became the Canucks' all-time leader in goals for a defenceman. He later had knee surgery and missed the rest of that season.

Leadership and Records

By the 2008–09 season, Öhlund was the longest-serving player on the Canucks. He was named an alternate captain and often took ceremonial faceoffs because the team's captain was a goalie. He broke the Canucks' all-time point-scoring record for a defenceman, reaching 322 points. He played all 82 games that season, which was only the second time in his career.

Over his 11 seasons with the Canucks, Öhlund set team records for defencemen with 93 goals and 325 points. He also played 770 games, which was the second most for a defenceman and fifth overall for any player on the team. In his later years, he helped mentor younger defencemen like Alexander Edler.

Time with the Tampa Bay Lightning

In 2009, Öhlund signed a seven-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was brought in to help guide young players, especially fellow Swedish defenceman Victor Hedman. He was named an alternate captain for the Lightning.

His first game with the Lightning was on October 3, 2009. He had an assist in that game. He faced more injuries, including an ankle injury and later a deep bone bruise in his knee. In his first season with the Lightning, he had 13 assists in 67 games, but no goals. Even without scoring, he was a key player, leading the team in average ice time and blocked shots.

In the 2010–11 season, Öhlund continued to battle knee issues. He played 72 games, recording five assists. The Lightning made it to the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs that year. In the playoffs, Öhlund scored his first goal for the Lightning and helped his team reach the Eastern Conference Finals. He later said that the 2010–11 season was "the most fun [he] had playing hockey, ever."

Before the 2011–12 season, Öhlund's knee problems continued, and he had more surgeries. He was placed on injured reserve and never played in the NHL again. His contract with the Lightning ended on July 1, 2016. On December 16, 2016, Öhlund was honored by the Canucks and inducted into their Ring of Honour.

Playing for Sweden

Junior Hockey Success

Early in his career, Öhlund played for Sweden in three World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. In 1994, he helped Sweden win a silver medal. In 1995, they won a bronze. In 1996, he had five assists and was named the tournament's Best Defenceman. He also made the Tournament All-Star Team and won another silver medal.

Senior Team Achievements

Öhlund joined the Swedish senior national team in 1997 for the World Ice Hockey Championships. He helped Sweden win a silver medal. The next year, in 1998, he won his first gold medal with Sweden at the World Championships. In 2001, he helped Sweden win a bronze medal at the World Championships.

Öhlund also played in three Olympic Games. In the 1998 Winter Olympics, Sweden finished fifth. In the 2002 Winter Olympics, Öhlund was cleared to play after a banned substance was found in his system, which he had taken unintentionally for eye surgery. Sweden was surprisingly eliminated by Belarus in the quarter-finals.

At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Öhlund helped Sweden win the gold medal. He had two assists in six games. He got injured during a game against Switzerland and couldn't play in the final game against Finland. However, he still received a gold medal from the International Olympic Committee. His teammates even offered him their medals if he didn't get one!

Öhlund also played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, where he scored one goal and one assist.

Personal Life

Mattias Öhlund grew up in Piteå, Sweden. He looked up to another famous Swedish defenceman, Börje Salming, who played many seasons in the NHL. Mattias is married to Linda, and they have a daughter named Hannah and a son named Viktor. They live in Tampa during the hockey season and go back to Piteå in the summer.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play Statistics

All-Star Games

• All stats taken from NHL.com

Awards and Honors

NHL Awards

International Awards

Vancouver Canucks Team Awards