Ulf Nilsson (ice hockey)
| Ulf Nilsson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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Nilsson in 2008
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| Born |
11 May 1950 Nynäshamn, Sweden |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
AIK IF (SEL) Winnipeg Jets (WHA) New York Rangers (NHL) |
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| National team |
 Sweden
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 1967–1983 | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Sweden
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| Men's ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
 |
1973 Soviet Union | |
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1974 Finland | |
Ulf Gösta "Lill-Pröjsarn" Nilsson (born 11 May 1950 in Nynäshamn, Sweden) is a former professional ice hockey player who played for the Winnipeg Jets, the New York Rangers, the Springfield Indians and the Tulsa Oilers.
Part of the first major wave of Europeans to star in North American hockey, he was a major star in the WHA from 1974 to 1978. He scored at least 114 points in each of his four seasons in the upstart league, finishing third or fourth among overall scorers every time. He led the WHA with 85 assists in 1976–77, and tied Marc Tardif for the lead the next season with 89. Along with countryman Anders Hedberg and established superstar Bobby Hull, he played a starring role as the Jets won Avco Cup titles in 1976 and 1978. In the 1976 playoffs, he scored 26 points in just 13 games and was named WHA Playoff MVP.
In the summer of 1978, Nilsson and Hedberg signed with the NHL's New York Rangers for $2.4 million, further weakening the struggling WHA which would cease operations after just one more season. Nilsson's NHL career was marred by two significant injuries. The first was a broken ankle suffered when his skate blade got caught in a crevice in the Madison Square Garden ice as he was hit by Denis Potvin of the New York Islanders, which resulted in Nilsson bearing the entire force of the hit on only one leg. Although Nilsson has never characterized the hit as dirty and, in 2009, said, "He [Potvin] was always fair. But the ice was never great in the Garden, because they had basketball and other events. My foot got caught. It was a freak thing," the incident is nevertheless commemorated by the "Potvin Sucks" chant that takes place during every Rangers home game.
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Wikipedia