Kent Nilsson

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Centre
shoots =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 195
nationality = Sweden
birth_date = birth date and age |1956|8|31
birth_place = Nynäshamn, SWE
career_start = 1976
career_end = 1997
draft = 64th overall
draft_year = 1976
draft_team = Atlanta Flames
wha_draft = 11th overall
wha_draft_year = 1976
wha_draft_team = Toronto Toros
played_for = Djurgårdens IF
Winnipeg Jets
Atlanta Flames
Calgary Flames
Minnesota North Stars
Edmonton Oilers


image_size = 200px
nickname = Kenta
Mr. Magic
The Magic Man

Kent Åke "Kenta" Nilsson (born August 31, 1956, in Nynäshamn, Sweden) is a retired professional ice hockey centre.

During his NHL career he was called "Mr. Magic" and "The Magic Man". In 2006 he was featured on HCZ, a Swedish reality show as coach for a hockey team of non-athletes.

Nilsson is the father of the Edmonton Oilers' Robert Nilsson.

Playing career

Nilsson began his career in 1973–74, playing for Djurgårdens IF during his first of four seasons in Sweden. He then came to North America, and played for the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA beginning in 1977. He scored two consecutive 100-point seasons in the WHA; and his offensive production continued when the league merged with the NHL. He was claimed by the Atlanta Flames, and in his first season with the team he scored 93 points. The next season, 1980–81, Atlanta moved to Calgary; Nilsson scored 131 points, which is still the team record [http://www.calgaryflames.com/extra/pdf/recordbook/topseasons.pdf] , and he came third in NHL scoring.

Nilsson played with the Flames until 1984–85 when he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars for a draft pick that the Flames used to draft Joe Nieuwendyk. Nilsson won his first and only Stanley Cup while playing with the Edmonton Oilers in 1987. He returned to Europe after that season, playing in Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and Norway. In 1988–89 he was named Player of the Year in Sweden. He returned Edmonton for six games in 1995, which made him the last former Atlanta Flames player to play in the NHL. He would then play briefly again in Europe until 1998.

He is currently a scout for the Edmonton Oilers, operating out of Europe. His son, Robert Nilsson, is currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers.

Awards

*Won Lou Kaplan Trophy (WHA Rookie of the Year) (1978).
*Won Paul Daneau Trophy (WHA Most Gentlemanly Player) (1979).
*Played in NHL All-Star Game (1980, 1981).
*Member of the Swedish World All-Star Team (1985, 1989, 1990).
*Named Swedish Player of the Year (1989).
*Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2006).

Records

*Most points scored by a Swedish player in a single NHL season (131 in 1980–81)
*Calgary Flames team record for points in a single season (131 in 1980–81)
*Calgary Flames team record for assists in a single season (82 in 1980–81)
*Calgary Flames team record for shorthanded goals in a single season (9 in 1983–84)

Career statistics

				Regular season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PM	PP	SH	GW		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1973–74	Djurgårdens IF	Sweden		8	1	2	3	4	-	-	-	-		14	8	6	14	2/td>
1974–75	Djurgårdens IF	Sweden		34	20	15	35	18	-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1975–76	Djurgårdens IF	Sweden		36	28	26	54	10	-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1976–77	Djurgårdens IF	Sweden		36	30	19	49	18	-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1977–78	Winnipeg Jets	WHA		80	42	65	107	8	-	-	-	-		9	2	8	10	10
1978–79	Winnipeg Jets	WHA		78	39	68	107	8	-	-	-	-		10	3	11	14	4
1979–80	Atlanta Flames	NHL		80	40	53	93	10	-3	14	0	3		4	0	0	0	2
1980–81	Calgary Flames	NHL		80	49	82	131	26	+15	20	0	8		14	3	9	12	2
1981–82	Calgary Flames	NHL		41	26	29	55	8	-20	13	0	0		3	0	3	3	2
1982–83	Calgary Flames	NHL		80	48	56	104	10	+5	16	4	6		9	1	11	12	2
1983–84	Calgary Flames	NHL		67	31	49	80	22	-24	7	9	5		-	-	-	-	-
1984–85	Calgary Flames	NHL		77	37	62	99	14	-4	9	3	3		3	0	1	1	0
1985–86	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		61	16	44	60	10	+4	8	0	2		5	1	4	5	0
1986–87	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		44	13	33	46	12	+2	8	0	1		-	-	-	-	-
1986–87	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		17	5	12	17	4	+10	1	0	0		21	6	13	19	6
1987–88	HC Bolzano	Italy		35	60	72	132	48	-	-	-	-		8	14	14	28	-
1987–88	SC Langnau	Switz.		2	2	0	2	-	-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1988–89	Djurgårdens IF	Sweden		35	21	21	42	36	-	-	-	-		1	0	1	1	0
1989–90	EHC Kloten	Switz.		36	21	19	40	-	-	-	-	-		5	4	5	9	-
1990–91	EHC Kloten	Switz.		33	37	39	76	-	-	-	-	-		8	3	8	11	-
1991–92	EHC Kloten	Switz.		17	11	14	25	8	-	-	-	-		2	0	0	0	2
1992–93	Djurgårdens IF	Sweden		40	11	20	31	20	-	-	-	-		6	2	3	5	0
1993–94	EC Graz	Austria		57	23	42	65	-	-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1994–95	Vålerenga Ishockey	Norway		6	1	1	2	8	-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1994–95	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		6	1	0	1	0	5	1	0	0		-	-	-	-	-
1995–96	Nynäshamn	Sweden-3		2	2	3	5	6	-	-	-	-		-	-	-	-	-
1997–98	CH Majadahonda	Spain		6	8	12	20	-	-	-	-	-		2	3	8	11	-
9 seasons	NHL career			553	264	422	686	116	-20	97	16	28		59	11	41	52	14

International play

*Played for Sweden in the 1973 European Junior Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1974 European Junior Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1975 World Junior Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1976 World Junior Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1981 Canada Cup.
*Played for Sweden in the 1984 Canada Cup.
*Played for Sweden in the 1985 World Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1987 Canada Cup.
*Played for Sweden in the 1989 World Championships.
*Played for Sweden in the 1990 World Championships.

International statistics

ee also

*List of NHL players
*List of NHL seasons

Family

Nilsson has been married since 2005 to Swedish Golfer Helen Alfredsson.

References

*Kent Nilsson [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=3977 on HockeyDB]
*"Total Hockey" (Second Edition), Editor - Dan Diamond, ISBN 1-892129-85-X