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153-739: Markus Sten Näslund (born 30 July 1973) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player and former general manager for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL, formerly named Elitserien). He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins , Vancouver Canucks , and New York Rangers , as well as in the Elitserien with Modo Hockey. Nicknamed " Nazzy " by Canucks fans and " Macke " or " Mackan " in his native Sweden, he
306-419: A centre and two wingers : a left wing and a right wing . Forwards often play together as units or lines , with the same three forwards always playing together. The defencemen usually stay together as a pair generally divided between left and right. Left and right side wingers or defencemen are generally positioned on the side on which they carry their stick. A substitution of an entire unit at once
459-401: A penalty shootout . If the score remains tied after an extra overtime period, the subsequent shootout consists of three players from each team taking penalty shots. After these six total shots, the team with the most goals is awarded the victory. If the score is still tied, the shootout then proceeds to sudden death . Regardless of the number of goals scored by either team during the shootout,
612-533: A 4–2 win for Vancouver. It was his first hat-trick since December 2003 and 11th in his career overall. Several games later, on 5 December, Näslund became the Canucks' franchise leading point-scorer, assisting on defenceman Mattias Öhlund's goal and passing Linden with 725 points. The following month, on 17 January 2008, Näslund played his 1,000th career game against the Detroit Red Wings, scoring
765-545: A 7–2 win over the Ottawa Senators . However, his production slowed later in the season; he was scratched on several occasions and was demoted to the third and fourth lines by February. In the final year of his contract with Pittsburgh, he was the subject of trade rumours. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette listed the Edmonton Oilers as the most likely candidate to deal for Näslund. However, on 20 March 1996, he
918-627: A Canuck during the team's home-opener against the San Jose Sharks on 14 October 2006. The goal tied Canucks teammate Trevor Linden for the franchise lead in all-time goals. He soon surpassed Linden with his 301st goal against the Edmonton Oilers on 17 October. Near the midway point of the season, however, Näslund went through a 17-game stretch without a goal. He completed the season with 60 points, his lowest output since 1997–98. Teammate Daniel Sedin had 84 points, marking
1071-414: A Canuck. For a franchise-record seventh consecutive season, he led the Canucks in scoring, with 32 goals and 79 points. Despite new NHL rules set in place after the lockout that sought to allow skilled players such as Näslund and his linemates to thrive, all three members of the Canucks' top line saw decreased offensive production in 2005–06. Furthermore, the Canucks failed to make the playoffs for
1224-472: A career minor-leaguer and retired by age 29, while Näslund would eventually play 884 games with the Canucks in 12 seasons. Näslund made his debut with the team two days following the trade against the Dallas Stars . As his desired jersey number 19 was already being worn on the team by Tim Hunter , the Canucks gave him number 22. Going pointless in his first nine games with his new club, Näslund recorded
1377-405: A chest protector, a goalie mask, and a large jersey. Goaltenders' equipment has continually become larger and larger, leading to fewer goals in each game and many official rule changes. Ice hockey skates are optimized for physical acceleration, speed and manoeuvrability. This includes rapid starts, stops, turns, and changes in skating direction. In addition, they must be rigid and tough to protect
1530-689: A finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league's most valuable player as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association . He finished as first runner-up to Forsberg, receiving five first-place ballots out of 62 compared to Forsberg's 38. Second runner-up Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils had 14 first-place ballots, but less voting points overall than Näslund. Despite losing
1683-537: A forward. The seventh defenceman may play as a substitute defenceman, spend the game on the bench, or if a team chooses to play four lines then this seventh defenceman may see ice-time on the fourth line as a forward. A professional ice hockey game consists of three periods of twenty minutes, the clock running only when the puck is in play. The teams change ends after each period of play, including overtime. Recreational leagues and children's leagues often play shorter games, generally with three shorter periods of play. If
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#17327830063391836-549: A game is tied after regulation, then a 20-minute period of 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime will be added. If the game is still tied after the overtime, another period is added until a team scores, which wins the match. Since 2019, the IIHF World Championships and the gold medal game in the Olympics use the same format, but in a 3-on-3 format. In ice hockey, infractions of the rules lead to a play stoppage whereby
1989-510: A goal in a 3–2 shootout loss. Playing parts of the season on a line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, he recorded 25 goals and 55 points. As Näslund's free agency approached on 1 July 2008, Näslund made it clear that the style of play and the player personnel of a team would be important factors in determining which team he would sign with after his contract with the Canucks expired. He was admittedly frustrated with Vigneault's defensive coaching style. Furthermore, since Bertuzzi's departure in
2142-412: A goal scored by the other team. Major penalties assessed for fighting are typically offsetting, meaning neither team is short-handed and the players exit the penalty box upon a stoppage of play following the expiration of their respective penalties. The foul of boarding (defined as "check[ing] an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards") is penalized either by
2295-563: A gold medal finish. He improved the following year with a tournament-leading 14 goals. His 16 points ranked second overall to teammate Peter Forsberg. Sweden failed to defend their gold medal. Näslund continued to play in junior tournaments over the next two years, competing in the 1992 and 1993 World Junior Championships , where Sweden won back-to-back silver medals. During his first tournament appearance in Germany, he recorded 10 points, ranking third among all players, including
2448-584: A hat-trick in the last game of the regular season, a 5–0 win over the Calgary Flames on 13 April 1996. The victory qualified the Canucks for the 1996 playoffs . He finished the regular season with a combined 22 goals and 55 points over 76 games between Pittsburgh and Vancouver. Näslund competed in his first NHL playoffs as the Canucks faced the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. He scored his first career NHL playoff goal in
2601-528: A larger blade and a wide, flat shaft. This stick is primarily intended to block shots, but the goaltender may use it to play the puck as well. Ice hockey is a full-contact sport and carries a high risk of injury. Players are moving at speeds around approximately 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h) and much of the game revolves around the physical contact between the players. Skate blades, hockey sticks, shoulder contact, hip contact, and hockey pucks can all potentially cause injuries. Lace bite , an irritation felt on
2754-507: A minor or major penalty at the discretion of the referee, based on the violent state of the hit. A minor or major penalty for boarding is often assessed when a player checks an opponent from behind and into the boards. Some varieties of penalty do not require the offending team to play a man short. Concurrent five-minute major penalties in the NHL usually result from fighting. In the case of two players being assessed five-minute fighting majors, both
2907-479: A more defensive-minded coaching approach. Crawford later recalled the 2005–06 season as a turning point in Näslund's role as the offensive leader on the team, noting that Henrik and Daniel Sedin had surpassed him and Bertuzzi in that respect as the campaign progressed. Facing significant changes in the 2006–07 season , Näslund's points total continued to decrease. He began the season by scoring his 300th goal as
3060-436: A neck protector. Goaltenders use different equipment. With hockey pucks approaching them at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h) they must wear equipment with more protection. Goaltenders wear specialized goalie skates (these skates are built more for movement side to side rather than forwards and backwards), a jock or jill, large leg pads (there are size restrictions in certain leagues), blocking glove, catching glove,
3213-539: A penalty, but was an infraction in the NHL before recent rules changes, is the two-line offside pass . Prior to the 2005–06 NHL season, play was stopped when a pass from inside a team's defending zone crossed the centre line, with a face-off held in the defending zone of the offending team. Now, the centre line is no longer used in the NHL to determine a two-line pass infraction, a change that the IIHF had adopted in 1998. Players are now able to pass to teammates who are more than
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#17327830063393366-409: A player may receive up to nineteen minutes in penalties for one string of plays. This could involve receiving a four-minute double-minor penalty, getting in a fight with an opposing player who retaliates, and then receiving a game misconduct after the fight. In this case, the player is ejected and two teammates must serve the double-minor and major penalties. A penalty shot is awarded to a player when
3519-601: A player under the CBA. The case went to a federal judge in Newark, New Jersey , who ruled in favour of Näslund on 29 June. League president and lawyer Gil Stein released an affidavit stating the NHL-Swedish agreement did not apply to Näslund, as he was not under contract with any Swedish team. Näslund became a Group 4 restricted free agent on 1 July. He did not receive any offers from other teams due to an apparent promise from
3672-415: A shot or pass play. Officials also stop play for puck movement violations, such as using one's hands to pass the puck in the offensive end, but no players are penalized for these offences. The sole exceptions are deliberately falling on or gathering the puck to the body, carrying the puck in the hand, and shooting the puck out of play in one's defensive zone (all penalized two minutes for delay of game). In
3825-492: A team losing a skater during regulation instead causes the other side to add a skater. Once the penalized team's penalty ends, the penalized skater exits the penalty box and the teams continue at 4-on-4 until the next stoppage of play, at which point the teams return to three skaters per side. International play and several North American professional leagues, including the NHL (in the regular season), now use an overtime period identical to that from 1999–2000 to 2003–04 followed by
3978-590: A team record 8 as captain . With the Canucks, Näslund led the team in scoring for 7 seasons, was thrice first team All-Star , chosen in 2002 , 2003 and 2004 , a Lester B. Pearson Award recipient in 2003, and runner-up for the Hart , Art Ross , and Rocket Richard Trophies in 2003. He received the Cyclone Taylor Trophy as the Canucks' most valuable player five times and the Cyrus H. McLean Trophy as
4131-529: A team-leading 39 points in 1991–92. He matched that points total the following season before helping Modo to the quarterfinals of the Elitserien playoffs. Following the 1992–93 season, his contract with Modo expired on 30 April 1993, and he had not yet come to terms with the Penguins. According to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NHL and NHL Players Association (NHLPA), he
4284-409: A tie occurs in tournament play, as well as in the NHL playoffs, North Americans favour sudden death overtime , in which the teams continue to play twenty-minute periods until a goal is scored. Up until the 1999–2000 season, regular-season NHL games were settled with a single five-minute sudden death period with five players (plus a goalie) per side, with both teams awarded one point in the standings in
4437-638: A tournament-leading eight goals (tied with four others). Sweden finished second in the tournament's round-robin format to the Commonwealth of Independent States with a record of five wins, one loss and one tie. The following year, Sweden hosted the World Junior tournament in Gävle . Näslund set a competition record for most goals scored in a single year with 13, while playing on a line with Forsberg and Niklas Sundström . His 24 points were second in
4590-462: Is a full-contact sport, body checks are allowed so injuries are a common occurrence. Protective equipment is mandatory and is enforced in all competitive situations. This includes a helmet with either a visor or a full face mask, shoulder pads, elbow pads, mouth guard, protective gloves, heavily padded shorts (also known as hockey pants) or a girdle, athletic cup (also known as a jock, for males; and jill, for females), shin pads, skates, and (optionally)
4743-410: Is also a penalty in certain leagues in order to reduce the chance of injury to players. Often the term checking is used to refer to body checking, with its true definition generally only propagated among fans of the game. One of the most important strategies for a team is their forecheck . Forechecking is the act of attacking the opposition in their defensive zone. Forechecking is an important part of
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4896-459: Is called a line change . Teams typically employ alternate sets of forward lines and defensive pairings when short-handed or on a power play . The goaltender stands in a, usually blue, semi-circle called the crease in the defensive zone keeping pucks out of the goal. Substitutions are permitted at any time during the game, although during a stoppage of play the home team is permitted the final change. When players are substituted during play, it
5049-418: Is called changing on the fly . An NHL rule added in the 2005–06 season prevents a team from changing their line after they ice the puck. The boards surrounding the ice help keep the puck in play and they can also be used as tools to play the puck. Players are permitted to bodycheck opponents into the boards to stop progress. The referees, linesmen and the outsides of the goal are "in play" and do not stop
5202-422: Is ice hockey. While the general characteristics of the game remain constant, the exact rules depend on the particular code of play being used. The two most important codes are those of the IIHF and the NHL. Both of these codes, and others, originated from Canadian rules of ice hockey of the early 20th century. Ice hockey is played on a hockey rink . During normal play, there are six players on ice skates on
5355-528: Is if a team opts to pull their goalie in exchange for an extra skater during overtime and is subsequently scored upon (an empty net goal), in which case the losing team receives no points for the overtime loss. Since the 2015–16 season, the single five-minute sudden-death overtime session involves three skaters on each side. Since three skaters must always be on the ice in an NHL game, the consequences of penalties are slightly different from those during regulation play; any penalty during overtime that would result in
5508-480: Is quite amazing." By having his jersey retired, he became the third player in team history to receive the honour, after Stan Smyl and Trevor Linden. Näslund made his first international appearance for Sweden at the 1989 Four Nations Tournament in the Soviet Union. The following year, he competed in the 1990 European Junior Championships, an under-18 tournament. He went pointless in six games, but helped Sweden to
5661-403: Is the left wing lock , which has two forwards pressure the puck and the left wing and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. Offensive tactics include improving a team's position on the ice by advancing the puck out of one's zone towards the opponent's zone, progressively by gaining lines, first your own blue line, then the red line and finally the opponent's blue line. NHL rules instated for
5814-465: Is the father of former NHL player Peter Forsberg . Forsberg began coaching Modo Hockey of the Elitserien in 1992–93, leading them to a 17-17-6 record. After a sub-.500 season in 1993–94, his coaching tenure ended. During his two seasons with Modo, he coached his son Peter Forsberg who was starring for the club. He took over as head coach of the Swedish national team in 1995 after Curt Lundmark. After
5967-457: The dump and chase strategy (i.e. shooting the puck into the offensive zone and then chasing after it). Each team uses their own unique system but the main ones are: 2–1–2 , 1–2–2, and 1–4. The 2–1–2 is the most basic forecheck system where two forwards go in deep and pressure the opposition's defencemen, the third forward stays high and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. The 1–2–2 is a bit more conservative system where one forward pressures
6120-538: The 2004 NHL All-Star Game in Minnesota . On 16 February 2004, during a game against the Colorado Avalanche, Näslund received a body-check to the head from opposing forward Steve Moore . Outstretched to retrieve a loose puck, he was hit by Moore with his elbow and shoulder. The league's leading scorer at the time, he sustained a minor concussion , requiring 13 stitches on his forehead and nose, and
6273-630: The Atlanta Thrashers on 14 February 2003. The win extended the Canucks' franchise record unbeaten streak to 14 games. On 27 March, he recorded an assist in a 5–1 win against the Phoenix Coyotes for his 100th point of the season, becoming the third Canuck to reach the plateau after Pavel Bure and Alexander Mogilny. On the last day of the 2002–03 regular season, the Canucks lost the Northwest Division title to
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6426-456: The Cyclone Taylor Trophy as the Canucks' most valuable player—his first of five during his tenure with Vancouver— as well as his first of two of the team's annual Most Exciting Player Awards (he received his second two years later). In the off-season, he was re-signed by the Canucks to a three-year, $ 7.2 million contract. During the Canucks' 2000–01 training camp in Sweden, Näslund
6579-532: The Eastern Conference 6–5. He was joined on the All-Star squad by three other Canucks – Bertuzzi, Ed Jovanovski and head coach Marc Crawford. Crawford paired Näslund on a line with Peter Forsberg, marking the first time in nearly 10 years the two had played together. Later that month, Näslund registered another career-high game with a six-point night (one goal, five assists) in an 8–0 victory over
6732-632: The Lester B. Pearson Award (since renamed the Ted Lindsay Award), given to the league's best player as voted by the NHLPA. By beating out fellow award nominees Forsberg and Boston Bruins centre Joe Thornton , he became the first Swedish-born recipient of the award, as well as the first Canucks player. He was presented the trophy during a ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame . Näslund was also
6885-758: The Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace , in Paris , France, the precursor to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The sport was played for the first time at the Olympics during the 1920 Summer Games —today it is a mainstay at the Winter Olympics . In 1994, ice hockey was officially recognized as Canada's national winter sport. While women also played during the game's early formative years, it
7038-604: The Philadelphia Flyers . Five days later, he registered his first NHL point, an assist, during a game against the Quebec Nordiques . His first NHL goal came the following month on 9 November 1993 in a 3–3 tie against the St. Louis Blues . The goal came in the first period on the powerplay against goaltender Curtis Joseph , assisted by Doug Brown and Marty McSorley . Upon entering the NHL, Näslund struggled and
7191-522: The Swedish national team in two European Junior Championships, two World Junior Championships , four World Championships , two World Cups and one Winter Olympics . He holds the World Junior record for most goals scored in a single tournament, scoring 13 in 1993 , while also winning back-to-back silver medals at the competition. In World Championship play, he won a silver medal in 1993 and two bronze medals in 1999 and 2002 . On 21 April 2014, Näslund
7344-462: The 1880s, and professional ice hockey originated around 1900. The Stanley Cup , emblematic of ice hockey club supremacy, was initially commissioned in 1892 as the "Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup" and was first awarded in 1893 to recognise the Canadian amateur champion and later became the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the early 1900s, the Canadian rules were adopted by
7497-490: The 18th and 19th centuries in Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere, primarily bandy , hurling , and shinty . The North American sport of lacrosse , derived from tribal Native American games, was also influential. The former games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules developed, such as shinny and ice polo, but later were absorbed into a new organized game with codified rules which today
7650-659: The 1930s, hockey was an on-side game, meaning that only backward passes were allowed. Those rules emphasized individual stick-handling to drive the puck forward. With the arrival of offside rules, the forward pass transformed hockey into a true team sport, where individual performance diminished in importance relative to team play, which could now be coordinated over the entire surface of the ice as opposed to merely rearward players. The six players on each team are typically divided into three forwards, two defencemen, and one goaltender. The term skaters typically applies to all players except goaltenders. The forward positions consist of
7803-416: The 2006 season redefined the offside rule to make the two-line pass legal; a player may pass the puck from behind his own blue line, past both that blue line and the centre red line, to a player on the near side of the opponents' blue line. Offensive tactics are designed ultimately to score a goal by taking a shot. When a player purposely directs the puck towards the opponent's goal, he or she is said to "shoot"
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#17327830063397956-530: The Canucks retired his number 19 jersey prior to a home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on 11 December 2010. Attending the on-ice ceremony were his wife, three children, parents and sister, as well as former Canucks teammates, coaches and executives. The night included a video tribute highlighting his hockey career, speeches from team personalities and gift presentations from the organization. In honour of Näslund and his wife's past philanthropy in
8109-476: The Canucks, he recorded 21 goals and 41 points over 78 games. The Canucks failed to qualify for the playoffs that season; they would not return to the post-season until 2001. At the start of the 1997–98 season , Canucks head coach Mike Keenan scratched a healthy Näslund, prompting him to request a trade once again. He finished the year with 14 goals and 34 points over 76 games. The following campaign , Näslund emerged as an offensive leader with
8262-561: The Canucks. Injuries to forwards Alexander Mogilny and Todd Bertuzzi , as well as the absence of Pavel Bure , resulted in Näslund earning more ice time. He scored his third NHL career hat-trick on 5 December 1998 during a 4–1 win against the Dallas Stars. At mid-season, he was named to his first NHL All-Star Game , held in January 1999. He went on to record a team-leading 36 goals and 66 points, resulting in him being awarded
8415-496: The Colorado Avalanche through a defeat against the Los Angeles Kings. Näslund had also begun the night as the league's leading point – and goal-scorer, but was surpassed by Avalanche forwards Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk , respectively. After the game, Näslund apologized to the home fans at General Motors Place , saying the team "choked." Qualifying for the 2003 playoffs , Vancouver won its first-round matchup against
8568-543: The Hart, he was chosen by The Hockey News as the league's most valuable player that year. Näslund also received both the Viking Award and First Team All-Star honours for the second time. The following season , Näslund led the Canucks in scoring for the sixth-straight year. His 84 points ranked fourth in the league, while his 35 goals was seventh. His even-strength points topped the league at 58. It marked, however,
8721-513: The IHL, at one point during the season he requested to be traded from Pittsburgh. Näslund impressed in his third training camp with the Penguins, held prior to the 1995–96 season . He was labelled in the media as "Mr. September", referring to his ability to show promise before struggling once the season began. Due to the departures of All-Star left-wingers Kevin Stevens and Luc Robitaille from
8874-550: The Modo Hockey organization, playing in Sweden's highest-level junior league, the J20 SuperElit , where he and Peter Forsberg skated together on one of the most productive lines in the league. The pair helped Modo to win back-to-back junior championships. After a season of junior, in 1990–91 Näslund joined Modo's professional team in the Elitserien, Sweden's premiere league. The Modo equipment manager designated him with
9027-495: The Modo web server as a result of the heavy volume of people visiting the site. As a board member of the club, Näslund said he and Forsberg would play without salary. Näslund played in his first game back with Modo on 28 November, 11 days after the announcement, registering an assist on the first goal of the game by Forsberg. Modo won the game 4–1 over Rögle BK . The following match, on 1 December, he registered two assists, setting up
9180-410: The NHL, a unique penalty applies to the goalies. The goalies now are forbidden to play the puck in the "corners" of the rink near their own net. This will result in a two-minute penalty against the goalie's team. Only in the area in front of the goal line and immediately behind the net (marked by two red lines on either side of the net) can the goalie play the puck. An additional rule that has never been
9333-555: The National Hockey League, a number of leagues have implemented the "four-official system", where an additional referee is added to aid in the calling of penalties normally difficult to assess by one referee. The system is used in every NHL game since 2001, at IIHF World Championships , the Olympics and in many professional and high-level amateur leagues in North America and Europe. Officials are selected by
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#17327830063399486-483: The Penguins organization to exercise their right to match. After two months of free agency, Näslund and the Penguins agreed to a deal on 9 September 1993, worth approximately US$ 1.8 million over three years, including a $ 750,000 signing bonus. Näslund subsequently joined the Penguins for the 1993–94 season . Due to teammate Bryan Trottier already wearing his Modo jersey number, 19, he chose number 29 instead. He appeared in his first NHL game on 5 October 1993 against
9639-426: The Penguins, Näslund had an opportunity for a more prominent role with the club in 1995–96. He played on the second offensive unit with winger Jaromír Jágr and centre Ron Francis during training camp before being moved up to the first line with Mario Lemieux . He showed an immediate improvement, starting the season with 36 points in 29 games. He recorded his first NHL career hat-trick on 28 November 1995 in
9792-517: The St. Louis Blues in seven games after trailing the series three games to one. Näslund scored a goal in the deciding game to help the Canucks advance. Against the Minnesota Wild in the next round, the Canucks were eliminated by relinquishing a three-to-one series lead of their own. Näslund finished the playoffs with a career-high 14 points in 14 games. In the off-season, Näslund received
9945-472: The Vancouver community, the team also announced the establishment of a sports equipment centre for underprivileged children. Prior to the jersey raising, Näslund thanked those involved in his career. Reflecting on his career, he commented, "Young hockey players from northern Sweden never dream of a night like this...To go from sitting up in the press box as a healthy scratch to be standing here in front of you
10098-619: The Western Conference for the second straight year, resulting in a first-round playoff match-up with the Detroit Red Wings . It was Näslund's first appearance in the post-season since his initial year with the Canucks in 1996. He was limited to a goal and an assist as Vancouver was eliminated by a Detroit side captained by the legendary Steve Yzerman and backstopped by perennial All-Star and future Hall of Famer Dominic Hasek . The Canucks fell in six games, despite winning
10251-415: The app determines that a particular impact has the potential to cause brain injury, it will alert the coach who can in turn seek medical attention for the individual. Defensive ice hockey tactics vary from more active to more conservative styles of play. One distinction is between man-to-man oriented defensive systems, and zonal oriented defensive systems, though a lot of teams use a combination between
10404-479: The beginning of a consistent decline in offensive production for the remainder of his NHL career. He was briefly sidelined in early December 2003 due to a groin injury, but returned to score his second career four-goal game, scoring all the Canucks' goals in a 4–3 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, on 9 December 2003. At mid-season, he was selected as team captain for the Western Conference at
10557-444: The beginning of what was widely considered the most effective line combination in the league for several seasons. Näslund and Bertuzzi had already formed a duo as wingers on the Canucks' top line for more than two seasons when head coach Marc Crawford replaced centre Andrew Cassels with Brendan Morrison during a game on 9 January 2002. The trio were dubbed the " West Coast Express ", named after Vancouver's commuter rail service of
10710-477: The blue and centre ice red line away. The NHL has taken steps to speed up the game of hockey and create a game of finesse, by reducing the number of illegal hits, fights, and "clutching and grabbing" that occurred in the past. Rules are now more strictly enforced, resulting in more penalties, which provides more protection to the players and facilitates more goals being scored. The governing body for United States' amateur hockey has implemented many new rules to reduce
10863-503: The draft's top two prospects behind first-overall selection Eric Lindros . He compared Näslund to the Los Angeles Kings ' Swedish forward Tomas Sandström , although he did not consider him as aggressive a player, and further claimed that he was a more natural goal-scorer than Penguins forward Jaromír Jágr , who had just completed his rookie year with the club. Näslund remained in Sweden with Modo for two more years, recording
11016-452: The event of a tie. With a goal, the winning team would be awarded two points and the losing team none (just as if they had lost in regulation). The total elapsed time from when the puck first drops, is about 2 hours and 20 minutes for a 60-minute game. From the 1999–2000 until the 2003–04 seasons, the National Hockey League decided ties by playing a single five-minute sudden-death overtime period with each team having four skaters per side (plus
11169-433: The final game of the series, opening the scoring against goaltender Patrick Roy on the powerplay. Colorado won 3–2 to eliminate Vancouver in six games. Näslund added two assists over the course of the series for three points total. In the off-season, he was re-signed by the Canucks on 8 August 1996. Näslund switched his jersey number back to 19 from his time with Modo, as Hunter left the team. In his first full campaign with
11322-411: The final score recorded will award the winning team one more goal than the score at the end of regulation time. In the NHL if a game is decided in overtime or by a shootout the winning team is awarded two points in the standings and the losing team is awarded one point. Ties no longer occur in the NHL. Overtime in the NHL playoffs differs from the regular season. In the playoffs there are no shootouts. If
11475-466: The final year of his contract, Näslund re-signed with the Canucks to a three-year extension on 28 June 2001. He spent the off-season rehabilitating his leg, which was held together with a titanium rod and screws following surgery, at his private gym in his hometown of Örnsköldsvik. He returned from his injury in 2001–02 and improved to 40 goals and 90 points, which ranked second in the league behind Jarome Iginla . The 2001–02 campaign marked
11628-532: The first round. The following season , shortened due to the 1994–95 labour dispute , he continued to split playing time between the NHL and IHL. In 14 games with Pittsburgh, he scored two goals and four points, while recording seven points in seven games with Cleveland. He did not appear in the NHL playoffs for a second straight season, despite the Penguins qualifying. Instead, he was assigned to Cleveland for their playoff season, in which he recorded four points in four games. Frustrated by his ongoing demotions to
11781-617: The first time in eight seasons that Näslund did not lead the team in scoring. In the 2007 post-season , Näslund contributed five points before the team was eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in the Conference Semifinals. In 2007–08 , Näslund set several more career marks. On 21 November 2007, Näslund tied the Canucks' franchise record of 10 hat-tricks with a three-goal game against the Minnesota Wild,
11934-558: The first time in four seasons, finishing at ninth place in the Western Conference, despite early-season projections to be Stanley Cup contenders. Consequently, significant changes to the Canucks' personnel were made in the off-season. Of particular significance to Näslund, longtime linemate Bertuzzi was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for goaltender Roberto Luongo , while Alain Vigneault replaced Marc Crawford with
12087-511: The front of the foot or ankle, is a common ice hockey injury. Compared to athletes who play other sports, ice hockey players are at higher risk of overuse injuries and injuries caused by early sports specialization by teenagers. According to the Hughston Health Alert, prior to the widespread use of helmets and face cages, "Lacerations to the head, scalp, and face are the most frequent types of injury [in hockey]." One of
12240-427: The game , too many players on the ice , boarding , illegal equipment, charging (leaping into an opponent or body-checking him after taking more than two strides), holding, holding the stick (grabbing an opponent's stick), interference, hooking , slashing , kneeing, unsportsmanlike conduct (arguing a penalty call with referee, extremely vulgar or inappropriate verbal comments), "butt-ending" (striking an opponent with
12393-599: The game 4–3, capturing the inaugural Victoria Cup . On 3 October, Näslund was named an alternate captain for the Rangers. The next day, he scored his first goal as a Ranger during the season-opener in Prague, Czech Republic , a 2–1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning . In his only season with the Rangers, Näslund led the team in scoring with 24 goals and was fourth in points with 46. He added three points in
12546-411: The game when the puck or players either bounce into or collide with them. Play can be stopped if the goal is knocked out of position. Play often proceeds for minutes without interruption. After a stoppage, play is restarted with a faceoff . Two players face each other and an official drops the puck to the ice, where the two players attempt to gain control of the puck. Markings (circles) on the ice indicate
12699-487: The game-tying goal with two seconds remaining in regulation by team captain Per Svartvadet and the overtime-winner by Forsberg. He scored his first goal since his return on 8 December in a 4–1 win over HV71 . On 27 February, he notched a hat-trick against Färjestad BK in a 10–3 win. Playing in 29 of Modo's 55 games, Näslund scored at a point-per-game pace with 10 goals and 19 assists. Ranked last in
12852-406: The game. There are typically two linesmen who are mainly responsible for calling "offside" and " icing " violations, breaking up fights, and conducting faceoffs, and one or two referees , who call goals and all other penalties. Linesmen can report to the referee(s) that a penalty should be assessed against an offending player in some situations. The restrictions on this practice vary depending on
13005-401: The goalie). In the event of a tie, each team would still receive one point in the standings but in the event of a victory the winning team would be awarded two points in the standings and the losing team one point. The idea was to discourage teams from playing for a tie, since previously some teams might have preferred a tie and 1 point to risking a loss and zero points. The exception to this rule
13158-402: The goaltender carries a stick consisting of a long, relatively wide, and slightly curved flat blade, attached to a shaft. The curve itself has a big impact on its performance. A deep curve allows for lifting the puck easier while a shallow curve allows for easier backhand shots. The flex of the stick also impacts the performance. Typically, a less flexible stick is meant for a stronger player since
13311-404: The governing rules. On-ice officials are assisted by off-ice officials who act as goal judges, time keepers, and official scorers. The most widespread system is the "three-man system", which uses one referee and two linesmen. A less commonly used system is the two referee and one linesman system. This system is close to the regular three-man system except for a few procedure changes. Beginning with
13464-516: The greatest athletes to ever represent the Canucks both on and off of the ice". Naslund chose to wear #91 with the Rangers, as his #19 was already being worn by Scott Gomez . As the Rangers held their training camp for the 2008–09 season overseas in Europe, they competed in a one-game challenge against Russian squad Metallurg Magnitogorsk on 1 October 2008 in Bern, Switzerland . The Rangers won
13617-465: The head and most types of forceful stick-on-body contact are illegal. A delayed penalty call occurs when an offence is committed by the team that does not have possession of the puck. In this circumstance the team with possession of the puck is allowed to complete the play; that is, play continues until a goal is scored, a player on the opposing team gains control of the puck, or the team in possession commits an infraction or penalty of their own. Because
13770-568: The heads, as well as checks to unsuspecting players. Studies show that ice hockey causes 44.3% of all sports-related traumatic brain injuries among Canadian children. Some teams in the Swiss National League are testing out systems that combine helmet-integrated sensors and analysis software to reveal a player's ongoing brain injury risk during a game. These sensors provide players and coaches with real-time data on head impact strength, frequency, and severity. Furthermore, if
13923-566: The ice at a time, barring any penalties, including a goaltender . It is a full contact game and one of the more physically demanding team sports. The modern sport of ice hockey was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal , where the first indoor game was played on March 3, 1875. Some characteristics of that game, such as the length of the ice rink and the use of a puck, have been retained to this day. Amateur ice hockey leagues began in
14076-458: The ice per side, one of them being the goaltender. The objective of the game is to score goals by shooting a hard vulcanized rubber disc, the puck , into the opponent's goal net at the opposite end of the rink. The players use their sticks to pass or shoot the puck. With certain restrictions, players may redirect the puck with any part of their body. Players may not hold the puck in their hand and are prohibited from using their hands to pass
14229-424: The ice, punched him in the head and pushed him to the ice. Moore suffered career-ending injuries and Bertuzzi was suspended indefinitely by the league. A close friend of Bertuzzi's, Näslund was deeply affected by the incident, as subsequent lawsuits and public scrutiny negatively impacted Bertuzzi's career. Several years later, Näslund stated, "It still bothers me what Todd has had to go through...There's no question he
14382-410: The ice. Loafing , also known as cherry-picking , is when a player, usually a forward, skates behind an attacking team, instead of playing defence, in an attempt to create an easy scoring chance. Kent Forsberg Kent Forsberg (born 12 September 1947) is a Swedish ice hockey coach. He has coached Modo Hockey of the Elitserien and, between 1995 and 1998, the Swedish national team . He
14535-417: The illegal actions of another player stop a clear scoring opportunity, most commonly when the player is on a breakaway . A penalty shot allows the obstructed player to pick up the puck on the centre red-line and attempt to score on the goalie with no other players on the ice, to compensate for the earlier missed scoring opportunity. A penalty shot is also awarded for a defender other than the goaltender covering
14688-461: The jersey number 19, which Näslund thereafter opted to wear with the Swedish national teams he played on. He recorded 10 goals and 19 points in his rookie season, a record points total for a 17-year-old in the league, until Robert Nilsson scored 21 in 2002–03. In the off-season, Näslund was drafted 16th overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team's general manager, Craig Patrick , hailed Näslund and Forsberg as
14841-463: The junior and senior levels for Modo Hockey and the Swedish national team. They attended high school together and had summer jobs at the age of 18 with the same electrical company that employed both Näslund's mother and Forsberg's father, Kent . At age 15, Näslund played a season with Örnsköldsviks SK in Sweden's third-tier men's league. Appearing in 14 games, he scored 7 goals and 13 points. The following season, in 1989–90, Näslund joined
14994-422: The knob of the stick), "spearing" (jabbing an opponent with the blade of the stick), or cross-checking . As of the 2005–2006 season, a minor penalty is also assessed for diving , where a player embellishes or simulates an offence. More egregious fouls may be penalized by a four-minute double-minor penalty, particularly those that injure the victimized player. These penalties end either when the time runs out or when
15147-482: The leading causes of head injury is body checking from behind. Due to the danger of delivering a check from behind, many leagues – including the NHL – have made this a major and game misconduct penalty. Another type of check that accounts for many of the player-to-player contact concussions is a check to the head resulting in a misconduct penalty (called "head contact"). In recent years, the NHL has implemented new rules which penalize and suspend players for illegal checks to
15300-533: The leading point-scorer for seven consecutive seasons—both club records—en route to becoming the franchise leader in goals and points. In 2008 , Näslund signed with the Rangers, where he spent one season before announcing his retirement from the NHL after 15 seasons. Midway through the 2009–10 season , he returned to play for Modo before retiring a second time. In December 2010, he became the third Canucks player to have his jersey retired, joining Stan Smyl and Trevor Linden . Internationally, Näslund has competed with
15453-518: The league prior to Näslund's return, Modo went on to earn 58 points in the remaining 36 games of the season, but finished one point out of a playoff spot. Näslund confirmed his second retirement following the campaign. At the start of the 2010–11 NHL season , the NHL and NHLPA honoured Näslund with a tribute and ceremonial puck drop prior to a game held in Stockholm, Sweden , between the San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets . Several months later,
15606-492: The league they work for. Amateur hockey leagues use guidelines established by national organizing bodies as a basis for choosing their officiating staffs. In North America, the national organizing bodies Hockey Canada and USA Hockey approve officials according to their experience level as well as their ability to pass rules knowledge and skating ability tests. Hockey Canada has officiating levels I through VI. USA Hockey has officiating levels 1 through 4. Since men's ice hockey
15759-413: The league with 54 powerplay points and 12 game-winning goals. Näslund's linemates also produced career seasons as Bertuzzi recorded 97 points, which ranked fifth in league scoring, while Morrison tallied 71. Together, the trio accounted for 45% of the Canucks' 264 goals. Early in the season, Näslund scored his eighth career NHL hat-trick, scoring three goals in a seven-minute span during
15912-562: The locations for the faceoff and guide the positioning of players. Three major rules of play in ice hockey limit the movement of the puck: offside , icing , and the puck going out of play. Under IIHF rules, each team may carry a maximum of 20 players and two goaltenders on their roster. NHL rules restrict the total number of players per game to 18, plus two goaltenders. In the NHL, the players are usually divided into four lines of three forwards, and into three pairs of defencemen. On occasion, teams may elect to substitute an extra defenceman for
16065-435: The misconduct (a two-and-ten or five-and-ten ). In this case, the team designates another player to serve the minor or major; both players go to the penalty box, but only the designee may not be replaced, and he is released upon the expiration of the two or five minutes, at which point the ten-minute misconduct begins. In addition, game misconducts are assessed for deliberate intent to inflict severe injury on an opponent (at
16218-417: The number of stick-on-body occurrences, as well as other detrimental and illegal facets of the game ("zero tolerance"). In men's hockey, but not in women's, a player may use his hip or shoulder to hit another player if the player has the puck or is the last to have touched it. This use of the hip and shoulder is called body checking . Not all physical contact is legal—in particular, hits from behind, hits to
16371-467: The off-season, Näslund forfeited a $ 2 million buyout from the Rangers, which would have counted against the team's salary cap for the following season had he waited until he was formally bought out. Näslund retired from the NHL second among all-time Swedish players with 395 goals (behind Mats Sundin 's 564; he retired the same year). His 869 points ranked fifth, while his 1,117 games played ranked fourth. Näslund returned to Sweden with his family in
16524-442: The officials' discretion), or for a major penalty for a stick infraction or repeated major penalties. The offending player is ejected from the game and must immediately leave the playing surface (he does not sit in the penalty box); meanwhile, if an additional minor or major penalty is assessed, a designated player must serve out of that segment of the penalty in the box (similar to the above-mentioned "two-and-ten"). In some rare cases,
16677-493: The open market for several days, he re-signed with the Canucks for three more years on 3 August 2005, at $ 6 million per season. Vancouver newspaper The Province reported that two other teams had offered deals that matched the contract he signed, but Näslund ultimately chose to remain with the Canucks because he felt the club had a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup . At the time, Näslund said he hoped to retire as
16830-400: The opening round of the 2004 playoffs . In the seventh and deciding game of the series between the two teams, the Canucks faced a one-goal deficit in the final minute of regulation time. With the Canucks having pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker, Näslund stickhandled the length of the ice past two defenders, before shooting the puck on goal. Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff saved
16983-559: The opening two games of the series. In the off-season, Näslund received NHL first team All-Star honours as the league's top left-winger. He also finished fifth in Hart Memorial Trophy balloting. In 2002–03 , with the West Coast Express line intact for a full season, Näslund finished with a career-high of 48 goals and 104 points, finishing second in the league in both categories. Furthermore, he led
17136-540: The other team scores during the power play. In the case of a goal scored during the first two minutes of a double-minor, the penalty clock is set down to two minutes upon a score, effectively expiring the first minor penalty. Five-minute major penalties are called for especially violent instances of most minor infractions that result in intentional injury to an opponent, or when a minor penalty results in visible injury (such as bleeding), as well as for fighting. Major penalties are always served in full; they do not terminate on
17289-413: The other, the opposing team gets a power play for the remainder of the time); this applies regardless of current pending penalties. In the NHL, a team always has at least three skaters on the ice. Thus, ten-minute misconduct penalties are served in full by the penalized player, but his team may immediately substitute another player on the ice unless a minor or major penalty is assessed in conjunction with
17442-468: The penalty is still assessed to the offending player, but not served. In 2012, this rule was changed by the United States' National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for college level hockey . In college games, the penalty is still enforced even if the team in possession scores. A typical game of hockey is governed by two to four officials on the ice, charged with enforcing the rules of
17595-499: The play is restarted at a faceoff. Some infractions result in a penalty on a player or team. In the simplest case, the offending player is sent to the penalty box and their team must play with one less player on the ice for a designated time. Minor penalties last for two minutes, major penalties last for five minutes, and a double minor penalty is two consecutive penalties of two minutes duration. A single minor penalty may be extended by two minutes for causing visible injury to
17748-411: The player is looking for the right balanced flex that allows the stick to flex easily while still having a strong "whip-back" which sends the puck flying at high speeds. It is quite distinct from sticks in other sports games and most suited to hitting and controlling the flat puck. Its unique shape contributed to the early development of the game. The goaltender carries a stick of a different design, with
17901-461: The players serve five minutes without their team incurring a loss of player (both teams still have a full complement of players on the ice). This differs with two players from opposing sides getting minor penalties, at the same time or at any intersecting moment, resulting from more common infractions. In this case, both teams will have only four skating players (not counting the goaltender) until one or both penalties expire (if one penalty expires before
18054-406: The playoffs marked a turning point in the team's success. After undergoing a rebuilding period in the late-90s under leading point-scorers Messier, Bure and Mogilny, Näslund formed a new core that included Bertuzzi, Brendan Morrison , Ed Jovanovski and Mattias Öhlund . He recalls "grow[ing] up together in the early 2000s" with this group of players as his "fondest memory" in the NHL. Set to enter
18207-483: The playoffs, as the Rangers were eliminated in the first round by the Washington Capitals. Following the Rangers' defeat, he announced his retirement from the NHL on 4 May 2009, at the age of 35. Näslund had informed Rangers general manager Glen Sather , head coach John Tortorella , and his teammates of his intention to retire prior to the team's playoff elimination. By announcing his retirement early in
18360-439: The puck carrier and the other two forwards cover the oppositions' wingers, with the two defencemen staying at the blueline. The 1–4 is the most defensive forecheck system, referred to as the neutral zone trap, where one forward applies pressure to the puck carrier around the oppositions' blueline and the other four players stand basically in a line by their blueline in hopes the opposition will skate into one of them. Another strategy
18513-406: The puck carrier in the neutral zone preventing him from entering the offensive zone. Body checking is using one's shoulder or hip to strike an opponent who has the puck or who is the last to have touched it (the last person to have touched the puck is still legally "in possession" of it, although a penalty is generally called if he is checked more than two seconds after his last touch). Body checking
18666-405: The puck in the goal crease, a goaltender intentionally displacing his own goal posts during a breakaway to avoid a goal, a defender intentionally displacing his own goal posts when there is less than two minutes to play in regulation time or at any point during overtime, or a player or coach intentionally throwing a stick or other object at the puck or the puck carrier and the throwing action disrupts
18819-443: The puck to their teammates unless they are in the defensive zone. Players can knock a puck out of the air with their hands to themselves. Players are prohibited from kicking the puck into the opponent's goal, though unintentional redirections off the skate are permitted. Players may not intentionally bat the puck into the net with their hands. Hockey is an off-side game, meaning that forward passes are allowed, unlike in rugby. Before
18972-409: The puck. A deflection is a shot that redirects a shot or a pass towards the goal from another player, by allowing the puck to strike the stick and carom towards the goal. A one-timer is a shot struck directly off a pass, without receiving the pass and shooting in two separate actions. Headmanning the puck , also known as breaking out , is the tactic of rapidly passing to the player farthest down
19125-476: The regional all-star team from Ångermanland , helping the squad win a national under-16 championship at TV-pucken in 1988. He received the Sven Tumba Award as the tournament's best forward. Born within 10 days of each other, Näslund and Forsberg became well-acquainted while playing on separate youth teams. They went on to join the Ångermanland team together, before competing on the same side at
19278-418: The right side" (of the puck). Another popular concept in ice hockey defensive tactics is that of playing a 200-foot game . An important defensive tactic is checking—attempting to take the puck from an opponent or to remove the opponent from play. Stick checking , sweep checking , and poke checking are legal uses of the stick to obtain possession of the puck. The neutral zone trap is designed to isolate
19431-646: The same name. The formation of Näslund's new line coincided with an eight-goal, 21-point effort over 14 games in January 2002, earning him NHL Player of the Month honours. He was later chosen to represent the World Team at the 2002 NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles and scored the game-winning goal in an 8–5 victory over the North American team. The Canucks finished the season with the eighth seed in
19584-477: The season with Modo. The following day, on 17 November 2009, Näslund announced he was coming out of retirement to join Forsberg with Modo for the remainder of the 2009–10 Elitserien season . He explained that while he did not miss playing, both he and Forsberg desired to help their former club out of financial troubles and a last-place standing in the league, facing potential relegation . The announcement crashed
19737-466: The season, he suffered a broken leg on 16 March 2001 during a contest against the Buffalo Sabres . Chasing a loose puck in the third period, he was hit by Sabres defencemen Jay McKee and Rhett Warrener simultaneously, falling awkwardly on his right leg. Näslund was sidelined for the remainder of the season, as he required surgery to repair broken tibia and fibula bones. His 41 goals at
19890-584: The second period of a 5–2 win over the San Jose Sharks on 21 October 2002. On 14 December, he scored a career-high four goals in a 6–3 win over the Edmonton Oilers, tying a Canucks record for most goals in a single game. Named to his third consecutive All-Star Game , held in February 2003, Näslund scored a goal in the first shootout in All-Star Game history to help the Western Conference defeat
20043-411: The shot before Cooke scored on the rebound with six seconds left in the game. Despite the effort, Calgary subsequently eliminated Vancouver a minute-and-a-half into the subsequent overtime period on a powerplay goal. Näslund finished the playoffs with nine points in seven games. At the end of the campaign, he received his second consecutive and third career Viking Award and First Team All-Star mention. In
20196-544: The skater's feet from contact with other skaters, sticks, pucks, the boards, and the ice itself. Rigidity also improves the overall manoeuvrability of the skate. Blade length, thickness (width), and curvature (rocker/radius) (front to back) and radius of hollow (across the blade width) are quite different from speed or figure skates. Hockey players usually adjust these parameters based on their skill level, position, and body type. The blade width of most skates are about 1 ⁄ 8 inch (3.2 mm) thick. Each player other than
20349-413: The sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey . Two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance, and shoot a vulcanized rubber hockey puck into the other team's net. Each goal is worth one point. The team with the highest score after an hour of playing time is declared the winner; ties are broken in overtime or a shootout . In a formal game, each team has six skaters on
20502-464: The squad. He was originally expected to sign with Modo before the season started in September, but he returned to Vancouver after spending the summer in Sweden. Vancouver radio-station Team 1040 cited high tax premiums explaining the decision, while Näslund later reasoned that he preferred to be readily available for the NHL, just in case the league and NHLPA could come to an agreement and the season
20655-489: The summer of 2006, Vigneault placed Näslund on inconsistent line combinations, often with career minor-leaguers. While he did not rule out the possibility of returning to Vancouver, he sold his Vancouver home and described his return as questionable. Näslund signed a two-year, $ 8 million contract, including a $ 1 million signing bonus, with the New York Rangers on 3 July 2008. Upon signing, he revealed New York
20808-762: The summer of 2009. During this time, Peter Forsberg was attempting a return to the NHL for the 2009–10 season , playing with Modo and the Swedish national team for conditioning purposes. Among the NHL teams interested were the Vancouver Canucks. Näslund had previously tried recruiting Forsberg to play for the Canucks prior to the 2007–08 season, when Forsberg was an unrestricted free agent, without any luck. Weighing in on Forsberg's possible NHL return, Näslund speculated that Forsberg would remain in Sweden to continue playing for Modo. Several days later, Canucks general manager Mike Gillis confirmed Näslund's speculation, asserting that Forsberg intended on finishing
20961-407: The team on which the penalty was called cannot control the puck without stopping play, it is impossible for them to score a goal. In these cases, the team in possession of the puck can pull the goalie for an extra attacker without fear of being scored on. It is possible for the controlling team to mishandle the puck into their own net. If a delayed penalty is signalled and the team in possession scores,
21114-488: The three seasons from 2001–02 to 2003–04, Näslund scored the most goals (123) and points (278) of any NHL player. During the NHL labour conflict , he returned to play for Modo Hockey of the Elitserien in 2004–05 . Näslund announced his return in mid-January in order to meet the 31 January player-transfer deadline for European clubs, joining Canucks teammates Daniel and Henrik Sedin, as well as former Modo teammate Peter Forsberg on
21267-514: The time of the injury were tied for third in the league, while his 75 points ranked in 11th place. As a result, he received his first of three career Viking Awards , given to the best Swedish player in the NHL. Without Näslund in the lineup, the Canucks finished the season with the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference , but were swept in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche in four games. The Canucks' return to
21420-621: The tournament behind Forsberg's 31. Although Sweden and Canada finished with identical records of six wins and one loss, Canada was awarded the gold medal by virtue of their 3–2 win against Sweden during round-robin play. Näslund was named along with Forsberg to the Tournament All-Star team. Ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates , usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to
21573-399: The two. Defensive skills involve pass interception , shot blocking , and stick checking (in which an attempt to take away the puck or cut off the puck lane is initiated by the stick of the defensive player). Tactical points of emphasis in ice hockey defensive play are concepts like "managing gaps" (gap control), "boxing out"' (not letting the offensive team go on the inside), and "staying on
21726-498: The victimized player. This is usually when blood is drawn during high sticking. Players may be also assessed personal extended penalties or game expulsions for misconduct in addition to the penalty or penalties their team must serve. The team that has been given a penalty is said to be playing short-handed while the opposing team is on a power play . A two-minute minor penalty is often charged for lesser infractions such as tripping , elbowing , roughing , high-sticking , delay of
21879-547: Was admittedly frustrated with himself. As a result, he was demoted to the Penguins' International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, the Cleveland Lumberjacks , on several occasions. He finished his rookie campaign with four goals and seven assists in 71 games. Although the Penguins qualified for the 1994 playoffs , Näslund did not participate in post-season play, being made a healthy scratch (non-dressing player), and watched as Washington eliminated Pittsburgh in
22032-422: Was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Alek Stojanov . The deal would be regarded as one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history once Näslund displayed his full offensive capabilities later in his career. Stojanov, who had been drafted eight spots ahead of Näslund in the 1991 Draft, went on to play 45 games, scoring two goals and four assists for the Penguins over the next two seasons. He became
22185-406: Was entitled to free agency within the league, beginning on 1 July. However, a conflicting agreement between the league and Swedish ice hockey officials required that he sign an NHL contract on or before 30 June in order to leave Sweden. With the deadline approaching, Näslund filed a federal lawsuit against the NHL claiming that their agreement with Swedish officials could not override his rights as
22338-450: Was his preferred destination heading into free agency. He left Vancouver as the franchise's all-time leader in goals and points with 346 and 756, respectively. His departure also ended his eight-year tenure as team captain, matching Stan Smyl 's captaincy as the longest in franchise history. General manager Mike Gillis , who formerly acted as Näslund's agent, released a statement on behalf of the Canucks organization, commending him as "one of
22491-624: Was inducted into the Swedish Hockey Hall Of Fame. Näslund was born to Sture and Ulla Näslund on 30 July 1973 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden . The city has produced numerous NHL players, including childhood friend and future Modo Hockey teammate Peter Forsberg , as well as Victor Hedman and future Canucks teammates Henrik and Daniel Sedin . Growing up idolizing Swedish NHL and Elitserien star Håkan Loob , he played most of his organized hockey at an outdoor rink in his neighbourhood during his youth. At age 14, Näslund competed with
22644-463: Was known for his offensive skills, particularly his wrist shot and stickhandling. After playing junior hockey within the Modo organization, Näslund turned professional with the club's Elitserien team in 1990–91. Selected in the first round, 16th overall by the Penguins in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft , he joined the NHL in 1993–94 . After his tenure with Pittsburgh, Näslund was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1996 , where he spent 12 years, including
22797-493: Was named team captain on 15 September 2000. He replaced Mark Messier , who had returned as a free agent to the New York Rangers, and became the first European-born captain in Canucks' history. Näslund has cited Messier as his greatest playing influence, having played alongside him the previous three seasons. In his first year as team captain, Näslund continued to improve offensively and was named to his second NHL All-Star Game , held in February 2001. With 10 games remaining in
22950-436: Was not until organizers began to officially remove body checking from female ice hockey beginning in the mid-1980s that it began to gain greater popularity, which by then had spread to Europe and a variety of other countries. The first IIHF Women's World Championship was held in 1990, and women's play was introduced into the Olympics in 1998 . Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in
23103-453: Was salvaged. He played his first game for Modo in nearly 12 years on 20 January 2005, receiving a standing ovation from the home crowd. Näslund went on to appear in 13 games, scoring 17 points. Modo finished in sixth place during the regular season before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Färjestad BK . As NHL play was set to resume for the 2005–06 season , Näslund became an unrestricted free agent. On
23256-422: Was sidelined for three games. He also suffered a hyper-extended elbow when he fell to the ice, which he played with through the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. Moore's hit went unpenalized and several Canucks players vowed to exact revenge when the Canucks and Avalanche were set to play each other again on 8 March. Late in the third period of that subsequent game, Todd Bertuzzi skated behind Moore around
23409-468: Was standing up for me...it all went too far." Despite the absence of Bertuzzi for the remainder of the season, Näslund led the Canucks to the Northwest Division title they had lost the previous season. Bertuzzi was replaced on the top line by Matt Cooke . The Canucks' division title placed them third in the Western Conference standings, matching them against the sixth-placed Calgary Flames in
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