Photo: Bildbyrån
For six years he was a feared scorer in the Calgary Flames.
Now Håkan Loob ranks which five Swedish NHL players he thinks are the best in the league right now.
– In my opinion, the Swedish star in the NHL that you should keep an extra eye on this season, he says in SVT about the professional he holds in the highest regard.
Of the roughly 400 Swedish ice hockey players who have tried their luck in North America, there has actually only been one player who has reached the dream limit of 50 goals scored in one and the same season. Gotland Håkan Loob64, scored 106 points (including 50 goals) in 80 regular season games for the Calgary Flames in 1987/1988.
Loob: “Means a lot for the team”
The year after he dominated with the incredible goal crop, he also won the Stanley Cup with Calgary. Loob also has an Olympic gold and two WC golds with Tre Kronor as well as a SM gold with Färjestad. He also holds the record for the most goals scored and points in an Elitserie season (76 points in 36 regular season matches in the 1982/1983 season) and most goals scored in total in the Elitserien (305 goals in 461 matches).
After his own hockey career, he has worked as sports manager for Färjestad. Now he is a hockey expert on Sweden’s Television. Ahead of the new NHL season, which starts later in October, he has been asked to rank his five favorite Swedes in the world’s best hockey league. In SVT, he explains which stars he thinks are the hottest right now.
READ MORE: Håkan Loob reveals serious concerns about his unbeaten SHL record
– Yes, in my opinion the Swedish star in the NHL that you should keep an extra eye on this season. It is Elias Pettersson in Vancouver, who is also on my top five list of the Swedes who are a little special in the NHL. Except him that is Mika Zibanejad. He is a very good player in the New York Rangers who means a lot to that team, he says.
Have a fondness for Nylander
He continues further down his list. There are quite well-known names that can be found there as well. Loob has chosen experienced players who really deserved their playing time in the NHL. There are no baby pigeons that take their place on the list right away.
– Then we have the newly appointed captain Victor Hedman in Tampa Bay, who has gone from strength to strength for many years and now becomes a captain. We also have Philip ForsbergNashville, a true sharpshooter. So when he gets the chance, it’s a goal. So he must be on the list, he says and continues:
– In addition, we have the little wizard William Nylander in the Toronto Maple Leafs. When will Toronto succeed? Yes, they can if William Nylander performs at the level he truly is capable of.
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Håkan Loob is a true legend and an excellent representative for Sweden in the NHL. He has done something historically good that really helped put our elongated country on the ice hockey world map.
Good job Håkan! Do you agree with his list? If not: comment who you’d rather see on the top five list.
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