Today, only 32 opportunities to be a captain in the NHL exist. Although most leaders in the league are Canadian-born skaters, some of the greatest players from countries outside of North America have had the honor to lead a franchise.
Related: Swedish Players in the Hockey Hall of Fame
Historically, there have been only 16 Swedish-born NHL captains, and we got all the details from the very first to the latest. So, if you’ve ever been curious about which Scandinavian-born players have led your favorite NHL teams, here are the answers.
Lars-Erik Sjöberg – Winnipeg Jets (1979 – 1980)
Lars-Erik Sjöberg (Falun, Sweden) only played 79 games in the NHL, dressing with the Winnipeg Jets during their first season after the merger with the World Hockey Association in 1979. Although he previously served as team captain from 1975 to 1978, he only played nine games during the 1978-79 season, when the Jets passed the captaincy to Barry Long for a year. However, when Sjöberg returned for the franchise’s NHL debut in 1979-80, he became the first Swedish captain in league history.
Thomas Steen – Winnipeg Jets (1989 – 1991)
In 1989, the Jets organization promoted Thomas Steen (Grums, Sweden) to the captaincy during his eighth season with the team. Even though he served as a tri-captain alongside Dale Hawerchuk and Randy Carlyle that year, Steen became the second Swedish captain in the NHL. Furthermore, he served in the role for two seasons, acting as a co-captain with Carlyle in 1990-91. Overall, he played with the Jets franchise for 14 years, scoring 817 points, which ranks second all-time.
Mikael Renberg – Tampa Bay Lightning (1997 – 1998)
Although Mikael Renberg (Pitea, Sweden) will always be associated with the Philadelphia Flyers, playing on the Legion of Doom line with Eric Lindros and John LeClair in the mid-1990s, he didn’t play his entire career with the club. After a blockbuster trade in August 1997, Renberg wound up with the Tampa Bay Lightning, immediately earning a promotion to co-captain with Paul Ysebaert for the 1997-98 season.
Interestingly, he only played with the Lightning for 88 games before getting traded back to Philadelphia in December 1998. Surprisingly, not only did the Flyers get one of their former star players back, but the team used the draft picks from the first trade to select Simon Gagne and Justin Williams.
Mats Sundin – Toronto Maple Leafs (1997 – 2008)
At the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, the Quebec Nordiques made Mats Sundin (Bromma, Sweden) the first Swedish number-one pick in NHL history. After four seasons in Quebec, he was part of a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs in June 1994. Within three seasons of skating with his new team, they named him the first European-born captain in their illustrious history.
As one of Toronto’s greatest players and the club’s all-time leading scorer with 987 points, Sundin’s ten-season stint as captain ranks third in length behind George Armstrong (1957-1969) and Hap Day (1927-1937). Although he never guided the Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup Final during his tenure, Sundin gave the team 13 incredible years and created countless memories for an entire generation of fans. Eventually, he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012 with 1,349 points in 1,346 games.
Kenny Jönsson – New York Islanders (1999 – 2001)
Kenny Jönsson (Angelholm, Sweden) began his NHL career with the Maple Leafs, earning All-Rookie honors in 1994-95 before a trade sent him to the New York Islanders in March 1996. At 25, he became the captain of the Islanders in 1999, serving in the role for a year and a half, and remains just one of three leaders in franchise history (Alexei Yashin and Mark Streit) born outside of North America. Interestingly, the Maple Leafs included a first-round pick in the 1996 trade, which ended up being Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo, who New York drafted in 1997.
Daniel Alfredsson – Ottawa Senators (1999 – 2013)
Daniel Alfredsson (Gothenburg, Sweden) remains the longest-serving Swedish-born captain in NHL history, assuming the role with the Ottawa Senators in 2009 and maintaining his position until 2013. Furthermore, as arguably the greatest skater in franchise history, he remains the club’s leader in goals, assists, and points.
Additionally, Alfredsson embraced his leadership role on and off the ice, serving as a champion for many projects in the community. Although his tenure with the club ended badly in 2013, he returned briefly to serve as a senior advisor for two seasons before earning an induction into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Markus Näslund – Vancouver Canucks (2000 – 2008)
Unfortunately, Markus Näslund (Ornskoldsvik, Sweden) made his debut (1993) with the Pittsburgh Penguins months after they just won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and 1992. Despite being traded to the Vancouver Canucks after 151 games, he became one of the game’s most respected leaders and won the Lester B. Pearson Award in 2002-03.
Additionally, Näslund became the face of the Canucks for over a decade, playing alongside Todd Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison, with the trio forming one of the league’s most dominating lines. Eventually, in 2009, he would retire after 15 seasons, holding several Vancouver records, including goals and points, totals later broken by teammates.
Mattias Norström – Los Angeles Kings (2001 – 2007)
Mattias Norström (Stockholm, Sweden) played for three franchises during his 14-year NHL career, with most fans associating him with the Los Angeles Kings, where he served as captain from 2001 to 2007. Overall, he played 780 games (142 points) with the Kings, who acquired him from the Rangers in the Jari Kurri and Marty McSorley deal of March 1996. Interestingly, Norström was the club leader for five seasons (losing a year to the 2004-05 lockout) and served between the captaincies of Rob Blake, who held the role from 1996-2001, and again for 2007-08.
Nicklas Lidström – Detroit Red Wings (2006 – 2012)
After Steve Yzerman’s legendary run as captain of the Detroit Red Wings from 1986 to 2006, the organization had to find the perfect successor to the role and wisely chose Nicklas Lidström (Krylbo, Sweden). As one of only three defensemen to win the Norris Trophy seven times and one of the best skaters of all time, during his tenure as captain, he led the Red Wings to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances, winning in 2008 and losing in 2009.
Additionally, Lidström became the first European-born and trained captain of a Stanley Cup-winning franchise in 2008. Furthermore, he ranks in the top five in games played, assists, and points with the Red Wings, one of the NHL’s Original Six teams. Eventually, after waiting the mandatory three years, Lidström entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.
Related: Swedish-Born Players With the Most Stanley Cups
Peter Forsberg – Philadelphia Flyers (2006 – 2007)
When Peter Forsberg (Ornskoldsvik, Sweden) made his NHL debut in January 1995, he was already an international hockey superstar, scoring the Golden Goal in a shootout at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Eventually, the future Hall of Famer (class of 2014) would win two Stanley Cup titles with the Colorado Avalanche before a series of injuries derailed his promising career.
After the 2004-05 lockout, the Avalanche could not retain Forsberg, who signed as a free agent with the Flyers, who initially drafted him in 1991. Then, in September 2006, they promoted him to team captain, only to trade him six months later to the Nashville Predators. Although injuries cut his career short at 708 games, Forsberg is considered one of the best European-born players ever.
Henrik Sedin – Vancouver Canucks (2010 – 2018)
Henrik Sedin (Ornskoldsvik, Sweden) is not only tied as the longest-serving captain in Canucks history with Stan Smyl (1982-1990), he is the franchise leader in games played, assists, and points. Ultimately, he formed a lethal combination with his twin brother Daniel, the club’s all-time goal leader.
Furthermore, under Sedin’s leadership, the Canucks won back-to-back Presidents’ Trophy in 2011 and 2012 before losing in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. As a leader on and off the ice, Henrik was heavily involved in community projects and, upon retirement, remained in Vancouver to join the team’s executive, serving as a development coach. Eventually, Henrik entered the Hall of Fame with his brother in 2022.
Gabriel Landeskog – Colorado Avalanche (2012 – Present)
In 2022, Gabriel Landeskog (Stockholm, Sweden) became the second Swedish-born player to lead an NHL franchise to a Stanley Cup championship, guiding the Avalanche to their first title in 21 years. Although he remains the team’s official captain, he hasn’t skated in a game since hoisting the silver chalice on June 26, 2022, because of a knee injury.
As a former Calder Trophy winner, Landeskog is one of the Avalanche’s best players of this generation, alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Furthermore, after 11 years with the organization, he ranks in the top ten in games played, goals, assists, and points. Additionally, Landerskog remains one of two Swedish captains in 2023-24.
Henrik Zetterberg – Detroit Red Wings (2012 – 2018)
Surprisingly, five years after retiring in 2018, Henrik Zetterberg (Njurunda, Sweden) has yet to earn induction into the Hall of Fame, and the Red Wings still haven’t retired his number. As one of his era’s best defensive forwards, he won the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Although back problems plagued him throughout his 15-year career in the NHL, Zetterberg ascended to the captaincy with the Red Wings upon Lidström’s retirement in 2012. While serving in the role, he didn’t miss many games in his final seasons, finishing his career in the top ten in Detroit history in games played, goals, assists, and points.
Erik Karlsson – Ottawa Senators (2014 – 2018)
Erik Karlsson (Landsbro, Sweden) was a former first-round pick (15th overall) of the Senators in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Eventually, he would win two Norris Trophies as the league’s best defenseman with the team and became their second Swedish-born captain. Statistically, he ranks in the top ten in games played and goals and the top three in assists and points in Senators’ history.
However, like Alfredsson, Karlsson left Ottawa on bad terms, accepting a trade to the San Jose Sharks in September 2018. Interestingly, during the 2022-23 season, he would become the first defenseman to score over 100 points in over 30 years, capturing his third Norris Trophy.
Related: Swedish-Born NHL Players with 100-Point Seasons
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Arizona Coyotes (2018 – 2021)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Karlskrona, Sweden) became the third Swedish-born in the Arizona Coyotes’ history when you factor in the club’s years as the Jets from 1979 to 1995. Interestingly, he also became the latest Nordic captain traded during his tenure, joining Karlsson and Forsberg.
Initially a sixth-overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Ekman-Larsson played the first 11 years of his career with the Coyotes before a trade to the Canucks in July 2021. Furthermore, he ranks amongst the top ten in many Arizona leaderboards, including games played, assists, and points.
Mikael Backlund – Calgary Flames (2023 – Present)
In September 2023, the Calgary Flames promoted Mikael Backlund (Vasteras, Sweden) to the captaincy, becoming the first non-North American-born player to hold the role with the club. As a former first-round pick (24th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, he is the only drafted skater in team history to appear in 900 games.
Additionally, suppose Backlund signs an extension with the Flames and finishes his career in Calgary. In that case, he has a shot at breaking the games played record (Jarome Iginla, 1,219) and finishing in the top five in team scoring. At 492 points, he is 13 away from getting into the franchise’s top ten, and at just 34 years old, with a 0.54 points-per-game average, he could score around 177 points on a four-year extension and close in on 700 career points.
Historical Perspective
As mentioned, there will be only two Swedish-born captains in the NHL at the start of the 2023-24 season. Although many other skaters from the country serve in alternate roles, being named captain of an NHL franchise is quite an honor.
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Statistically, five captains, Sundin, Alfredsson, Lidström, Forsberg, and Sedin, are already in the Hall of Fame, with several strong candidates like Zetterberg, Landeskog, and Karlsson who possess the credentials to join them in the future.
Considering that Sweden boasts one of the strongest hockey programs in the world, with a competitive junior program and senior teams, the future of Scandinavian prospects in the NHL is at an all-time high. Although there have only been 16 Swedish-born captains in the NHL, the list will grow in the future when young stars carve out their North American legacies.
