On Monday night (April 10) San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson skated into the NHL record books by collecting his 100th point of the 2022-23 season. Furthermore, the native of Landsbro, Sweden, became just the sixth defender in league history to reach the century mark, joining an exclusive club led by Bobby Orr (six times), Paul Coffey (five), Al MacInnis, Brian Leetch, and Denis Potvin.
On Tuesday night (April 11), Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson collected his 100th point to become the second Swedish-born player to surpass the century mark this season, marking the second time in NHL history two players from the Nordic country had 100-point campaigns.
Related: Top 10 Swedes in the NHL Today
Interestingly, Karlsson and Pettersson became just the 11th and 12th Swedish-born players to tally 100 points in a single season. As the favorite to win the Norris Trophy, Karlsson is on course to become just the seventh defenseman to win the award more than twice, joining fellow countryman Nicklas Lidström, who won it seven times.
Statistically, Pettersson had his best season in the NHL, finally breaking through the 68-point barrier that had been the ceiling for the gifted center in previous years. Furthermore, the Canucks are retooling their roster to be more competitive in the future, making the native of Sundsvall, Sweden, a centerpiece to those teams, meaning this won’t be the only time he appears on this list.
Now that the regular season has ended, here’s a look at Swedish-born players with 100-point seasons in the NHL.
Elias Pettersson (2022-23) 102 points
Petterson won the 2018-19 Calder Trophy, exploding onto the NHL scene with 28 goals and 66 points during his rookie campaign. During his sophomore season, he repeated with 27 goals and 66 points before injuries cost him most of the 2020-21 season. After returning to an entire campaign the following year, he reached 32 goals and 68 points before his record-setting year in 2022-23.
Although he came one goal shy of reaching 40 for the first time, Pettersson set a new career best with 39 lamplighters, achieving the feat without scoring a single hat trick. Furthermore, he reached 102 points thanks to three five-point games, four three-point games, and 20 two-point games.
Erik Karlsson (2022-23) 101 points
Karlsson is a two-time Norris Trophy winner whose previous career highs were 21 goals, 66 assists, and 82 points. Even though he was playing with the Sharks this year, who finished 29th overall in the league standings, he managed to lead all defencemen in scoring, becoming the only Swedish defender ever to score 100 points.
After 25 goals and 76 assists in 2022-23, Karlsson had his best season in the NHL and should win the Norris Trophy again. Statistically, he had five four-point nights – including a game with a hat trick – four three-point nights, and 20 two-point games. Additionally, he tallied at least a point in 57 out of 82 games he skated in.
Nicklas Bäckström (2009-10) 101 points
Nicklas Bäckström is a potential Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) candidate as one of his generation’s greatest passers. After 1,097 games, he’s collected 1,032 points and 761 assists. As a player with a career 0.94 points-per-game average (PPG), it is surprising that he has only reached 100 points once, as a 22-year-old in 2009-10.
Interestingly, Bäckström reached 101 points without scoring a hat trick that season, settling for seven games with two goals. Additionally, he collected a point in 55 games, with two five-point contests, one four-point game, and ten three-point games.
Daniel Alfredsson (2005-06) 103 points
Daniel Alfredsson is a recent inductee of the HHOF, earning enshrinement with the class of 2022. As a former Calder Trophy winner, he was the face of the Ottawa Senators franchise for 17 years, serving as their captain for 13. Despite the personal success, he never led the Senators to a Stanley Cup championship, coming up short in their only attempt in 2007. When looking back at his career, which includes 1,108 points in 1,178 games, he only registered one 100-point season in 2005-06.
During that season, Alfredsson had a four-goal game against the Buffalo Sabres, finishing that night with six points, the highest total in a single game that year. Additionally, he had eight multi-goal games, one four-point night, and nine three-point contests. Moreover, he registered a point in 55 of the 77 games he played that year.
Daniel Sedin (2010-11) 104 points
Daniel Sedin and his brother, Henrik, joined the HHOF this past Winter alongside Alfredsson in a class loaded with Swedish talent. As one-half of the leadership core of the Canucks for more than a decade, Daniel shared a special bond with his twin brother and spent the bulk of his career amongst the leading scorers of his generation. Despite all the points, Daniel only had one 100-point campaign during 2010-11, the only year he scored more than 85 points.
Although he was known as the goal scorer, Daniel finished 2010-11 with 104 points despite not scoring a hat trick, collecting just seven two-goal games. Additionally, he earned at least two points in 32 games, finishing the year with a point in 64 of 82 games.
Kent Nilsson (1982-83) 104 points
Kent Nilsson is not in the HHOF despite winning a Stanley Cup and two Avco Cup championships in the WHA in the late 1970s. Surprisingly, he spent only nine years in the NHL, registering two seasons with 100 or more points and finishing his career with a 1.24 PPG average. As you will read later, he had a knack for scoring 40 goals and setting up his teammates en route to 100 points, as he accomplished in 1982-83.
During his 104-point season, Nilsson had five hat tricks and seven two-goal games to finish the year with 46 lamplighters, the second-highest total in his career. Additionally, he had three contests with four helpers and two five-point nights to finish the year with a point in 55 of the 80 games he played.
Markus Näslund (2002-03) 104 points
Markus Näslund was a gifted forward who helped the Canucks to success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, helping the organization move past the heartbreak of losing the 1994 Stanley Cup Final. Although he was a consistent 60-point producer, he managed a 90-point season and one 104-point campaign in 2002-03.
While setting career highs in goals, assists, and points, Näslund had a four-goal game and one three-goal contest in 2002-03. Additionally, he collected six points against the Atlanta Thrashers and had another two four-point games. Moreover, he had a point in 62 of the 82 games he skated in.
Peter Forsberg (2002-03) 106 points
Peter Forsberg will always be one of Sweden’s greatest hockey players, having scored the Golden Goal at the 1994 Winter Olympics to win the country’s first gold medal. Additionally, he was a superstar in the NHL, winning two Stanley Cups, Rookie of the Year, and one scoring title. During the campaign in which he won the Art Ross Trophy, Forsberg scored 106 points, his second-highest single-season total.
The HHOFer had two hat tricks that season and three two-goal games to finish the year with 29 goals. Additionally, he had two five-point contests and 20 games with two or more points, with his best night (six points) coming against the Nashville Predators. Moreover, Forsberg had a point in 57 of the 75 games he played that year.
Håkan Loob (1987-88) 106 points
Håkan Loob played only six years in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1988-89. Despite his brief stint in North America, he is the only Swedish player ever to score 50 goals, reaching the milestone during his only 100-point campaign in 1987-88.
During his historic season, Loob collected five hat tricks, which included a four-goal game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Furthermore, he had a six-point night against the Sabres and three four-point contests. Moreover, he collected a point in 57 of 80 games.
Mats Näslund (1985-86) 110 points
Mats Näslund is one of the unsung heroes of the mid-1980s Montreal Canadiens, winning a Stanley Cup championship with the club in 1986. As a consistent 20-goal scorer, he played nine seasons in the NHL and only failed to reach the plateau in his final season. Additionally, he scored a career-best 43 goals in 1985-86, the only year he tallied more than 84 points.
During his 110-point season, Näslund collected seven two-goal games and six three-assist games, finishing the year with two four-point nights. Moreover, he scored at least two points in 31 games while earning a point in 65 of 80 games.
Henrik Sedin (2009-10) 112 points
Henrik Sedin joined his brother in the HHOF in November 2022 as the duo celebrated a career worthy of enshrinement together. Since the twin brothers were mirror images of each other on and off the ice, it is unsurprising that they had similar point totals, with each brother collecting one 100-point campaign. Although Daniel first appeared on the list with 104 points, Henrik had the best season amongst the brothers, amassing 112 points in 2009-10.
During his magical season in which he won the Art Ross Trophy, Henrik scored one hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche and finished the year with three two-goal games. Interestingly, his best performance was four points against the Calgary Flames while earning two or more points in 22 other games. Moreover, Sedin collected a point in 61 of 82 games.
Mats Sundin (1992-93) 114 points
Mats Sundin is currently the only Swedish-born player in the 500-goal club, achieving the feat while serving as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ captain. Despite his successful NHL career, 1,349 points in 1,346 games, he never won any significant awards or played in the Stanley Cup Final. However, he was a consistent 30-goal scorer who reached a personal best of 47 during the only year he scored 100 points, in 1992-93.
After breaking into the league as a 19-year-old, Sundin put up 47 goals and 67 assists for 114 points during his third season with the Quebec Nordiques. During the campaign, he had three four-point nights, registering a single hat trick against the Minnesota North Stars. Additionally, he had 30 multi-point games and collected a point in 68 of 80 games.
Peter Forsberg (1995-96) 116 points
As mentioned earlier, anyone who wants to know Forsberg’s place in hockey history only needs to visit a Swedish post office and pick up a stamp of the Golden Goal. After starring on the international stage, including setting the all-time points record at the World Junior Championship, he brought his skills to the NHL, eventually winning the Stanley Cup in his second season, 1995-96, collecting a modest 116 points along the way.
Before hoisting the Stanley Cup that spring, Forsberg tore through the regular season, scoring 30 goals and collecting 86 assists. During the campaign, he had two hat tricks and found the back of the net in 23 games while collecting four five-point games. Additionally, he had five four-point contests and eight three-point games to finish the year with a point in 53 of 80 games.
Kent Nilsson (1980-81) 131 points
Nilsson collected 131 points during the 1980-81 season, which remains the Flames’ record for most points in the regular season and the most points a Swedish-born player has ever achieved. Although many great HHOF players have tried to conquer this record, it has stood untouched for 42 years.
After scoring 93 points in the Flames’ final season in Atlanta, Nilsson exploded out of the gate in Calgary, registering three hat tricks and seven two-goal games. Additionally, he had 20 multi-assist games while collecting a season-high six points against the Detroit Red Wings. Besides earning at least three points in 21 games, he finished the year with a point in 62 of 80 games.
Today’s Top Swedish Stars Have Milestones to Conquer
According to statistics from NHL.com, there were 95 Swedish-born players (not including goalies) to skate in the league this year, which means there are plenty of opportunities for one of them to break this milestone.
Related: All-Time Sweden-Born NHL Lineup
Eventually, players like Adrian Kempe, Filip Forsberg, Mika Zibanejad, William Nylander, and Jesper Bratt will find their perfect linemates, everything will come together, and we will be adding their names to this list. Until then, these players remain at the top, a place very few ever reach, which says a lot considering how deep Sweden’s roots are in hockey.
