Rickard Rakell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rickard Rakell
Rakell with Sweden in 2012
Born	(1993-05-05) 5 May 1993 (age 32) Sollentuna, Sweden
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position	Winger
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Pittsburgh Penguins Anaheim Ducks
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	30th overall, 2011 Anaheim Ducks
Playing career	2013–present

Rickard Rakell (born 5 May 1993) is a professional ice hockey player from Sweden. He plays as a right winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Rickard started his hockey journey in Sweden. He was chosen by the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2010. After playing well there, the Anaheim Ducks picked him 30th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Ducks in 2013 and played for them for nine seasons. During his time with the Ducks, he set many personal and team records. He also helped them reach the Stanley Cup playoffs five times. In 2022, he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins. Rickard has also played for Sweden in international tournaments, winning gold at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.

Rickard's Early Life

Rickard Rakell was born in Sollentuna, Sweden, on May 5, 1993. His parents are Roland and Annika. He grew up in Stockholm with his brother Robin and sister Rebecka. Rickard's grandfather, Åke Rakell, was a professional table tennis player. Rickard also played table tennis until he was 14. Then, he decided to focus only on ice hockey. When he was young, Rickard looked up to hockey stars like Mats Sundin and Patric Hornqvist.

Playing Hockey: Rickard's Journey

Starting in Junior Hockey

Rickard played for AIK IF in Sweden's junior leagues. He used to play defense until he was 14. Then, he switched to forward so he could score more goals. After playing well in Sweden, he was drafted by the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2010. Rickard moved to North America to play for the Whalers. Another Swedish player, Gabriel Landeskog, helped convince him to make the move.

Rickard had a strong first season with the Whalers in 2010–11. He scored 23 points in his first 25 games. This earned him a spot in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He finished his first season with 20 goals and 43 points in 49 games. After this, the Anaheim Ducks drafted him in the first round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Rickard Rakell on stage during the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Rickard returned to the Whalers for the 2011–12 season. This was a great year for him. He scored more goals and assists than before. He finished the season with 28 goals and 34 assists in 60 games. He was even voted the Best Defensive Forward in the Western Conference Coaches Poll. In the playoffs, he led the Whalers with 10 assists.

In 2012, Rickard signed a three-year contract with the Ducks. He started the 2012–13 season with the Whalers. But after the NHL lockout ended, he joined the Ducks. He made his NHL debut on January 19, 2013. He was one of the youngest players to play for the Ducks at 19 years old. After four games, he was sent back to the Whalers. He finished his final junior season with 21 goals and 23 assists in 40 games.

Becoming a Professional Player

Anaheim Ducks Years

Rickard started the 2013–14 season with the Norfolk Admirals, the Ducks' minor league team. He played well there and was called up to the NHL a few times. On November 8, 2013, he earned his first NHL point, an assist. He finished the season playing 18 games with the Ducks.

In the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, Rickard made his playoff debut. He scored his first NHL goal in Game 5 against the Dallas Stars. This made him the first player in Ducks history to score their first career goal in the playoffs. He also helped the Ducks set a record for most power-play goals in a playoff game.

The 2014–15 season was Rickard's first full season in the NHL. He worked hard to earn a spot on the team. On January 11, he had a huge game, scoring two goals and two assists. This tied a team record for most points by a rookie in one game. He finished the season with 9 goals and 22 assists in 71 games. He even scored the game-winning goal in overtime during a playoff game against the Winnipeg Jets.

For the 2015–16 season, Rickard started playing on the Ducks' top line with star players like Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. They quickly became a strong scoring line. Rickard scored 15 goals and 33 points by February. However, he had to miss the end of the regular season due to appendicitis. He tried to return for the playoffs but wasn't fully recovered.

After the season, Rickard had another surgery related to his appendicitis. He then signed a new six-year contract with the Ducks in October 2016. He had a fantastic 2016–17 season. He scored a career-high 33 goals and 51 points in 71 games. He led the league with 10 game-winning goals. He was the fourth-youngest Duck to score 30 goals in a season.

Rickard continued his great play in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs. He scored 7 goals and 13 points in 15 playoff games. He helped the Ducks sweep the Calgary Flames in the first round. In the second round, against the Edmonton Oilers, Rickard and his teammates made history. They became the only team in NHL history to win a playoff game in overtime after being down by three goals with less than four minutes left.

The 2017–18 season was another strong one for Rickard. He kept scoring and setting new personal bests. He scored his first career NHL hat-trick on February 25, 2018. He finished the season with new career highs in goals (34), assists (35), and points (69) in 77 games. He was the first player other than Getzlaf, Perry, or Teemu Selanne to lead the Ducks in points since 2004.

In the 2018–19 season, Rickard found good chemistry playing with younger players like Sam Steel and Jakob Silfverberg. He scored his 100th career NHL goal in November. He missed some games due to a sprained ankle but returned to help the team. He finished the season with 18 goals and 43 points.

For the 2019–20 season, Rickard played on an offensive line with Silfverberg and Adam Henrique. He had a five-game point streak early in the season. He also played in his 400th career NHL game. He missed some time with a sprained wrist but still finished the shortened season with 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points.

In the 2020–21 season, Rickard was close to playing his 500th NHL game. He had a strong March, with a six-game point streak. He finished the season tied for second on the team in points per game.

Rickard played his 500th NHL game at the start of the 2021–22 season. He quickly led the Ducks with four goals in his first six games. However, he suffered an upper-body injury in October and missed 10 games.

Joining the Pittsburgh Penguins

Rickard Rakell with the Penguins in 2023.

On March 21, 2022, Rickard was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Ducks received a draft pick and three players in return. Rickard moved in with his fellow Swedish teammate, Marcus Pettersson, when he arrived in Pittsburgh. He made his debut with the Penguins on March 22. He played on different lines, including a short time with stars Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. He mostly played on the second line with Evgeni Malkin. In his first 13 games with the Penguins, he scored 3 goals and 7 assists. He finished the season with 4 goals and 9 assists in 19 games for the Penguins. In the playoffs, he was injured in Game 1 but returned for Game 7.

In the summer of 2022, Rickard signed a six-year contract extension with the Penguins. He returned as a right winger on the first line with Crosby and Guentzel. He continued to play well, scoring 18 goals and 15 assists by February. His coach, Mike Sullivan, praised Rickard for his skill and ability to create scoring chances.

Rickard continued to play for the Penguins in the 2023–24 season, scoring 15 goals and 22 assists in 70 games. He also played in the 2024–25 season, where he had a strong performance with 35 goals and 35 assists in 81 games.

Playing for Sweden

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold	2018 Denmark
World Junior Championships
Gold	2012 Calgary
Silver	2013 Ufa

Rickard has proudly represented his home country, Sweden, in international hockey. He played for the junior team at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He was the youngest player on the team. He helped Sweden win a gold medal at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He also won a silver medal at the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

Rickard made his debut for the senior team at the 2018 IIHF World Championship. He helped Team Sweden win a gold medal! He scored 6 goals and 8 assists in 10 games. Because of his amazing play, he was named to the World Championship All-Star Team.

In February 2025, Rickard was chosen to play for Team Sweden in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

Rickard's Life Off the Ice

While playing for the Ducks, Rickard and his wife, Emmeli, started a special charity program called 67 Assists. This program helped train service dogs by letting them practice in noisy sports environments. Rickard and Emmeli welcomed their first child in 2022.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010	Sweden	U17			6	1	1	2	2
2011	Sweden	WJC	4th		5	0	3	3	2
2012	Sweden	WJC			6	2	3	5	4
2013	Sweden	WJC			6	0	6	6	16
2018	Sweden	WC			10	6	8	14	6
2021	Sweden	WC	9th		7	1	1	2	0
Junior totals					23	3	13	16	24
Senior totals					17	7	9	16	6

Awards and Honors