Pelle Eklund
| Pelle Eklund | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Born |
22 March 1963 Solna, Sweden |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Elitserien AIK Leksands IF NHL Philadelphia Flyers Dallas Stars |
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| National team |
 Sweden
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| NHL Draft | 161st overall, 1983 Philadelphia Flyers |
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| Playing career | 1981–1999 | ||
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Ice hockey | ||
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1984 Sarajevo | Team Competition |
Per-Erik "Pelle" Eklund (born 22 March 1963 in Solna, Sweden) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey winger who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars and nine seasons in the Swedish Elitserien (SEL) with AIK and Leksands IF.
Eklund played for AIK of the Elitserien between 1981 and 1985, winning the league championship in 1984. He quickly became one of the top players in the league, winning the Golden Puck as Sweden's top player in 1984 - one of the youngest winners ever at the age of only 21.
He came to the NHL in 1985, joining the Philadelphia Flyers who had selected him 161st overall in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. He made an immediate impact, leading all rookies in assists with 51 and finishing 3rd in overall rookie scoring (behind only Kjell Dahlin and Gary Suter) in the 1985–86 season.
Over the next 9 seasons, Eklund made a name for himself as a slick playmaking center, topping the 50 assist mark on three occasions. He was also noted for his gentlemanly play, always finishing amongst the least-penalized players in the NHL. The high point of his career came in the 1987 playoffs, when his outstanding play helped carry Philadelphia to the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals, as his 27 points were 4th in overall scoring and his 20 assists second to only Wayne Gretzky.
Eklund's scoring touch mysteriously disappeared in the 1993–94 season, as he recorded only 1 goal and 18 points in 48 games for the Flyers. At the trade deadline, he was dealt to the Dallas Stars, where he had a brief stint to finish his NHL career.
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