Samuel Påhlsson
Påhlsson with Modo Hockey in 2013
Born (1977-12-17) December 17, 1977
Ånge, Sweden
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Modo Hockey
Boston Bruins
Anaheim Ducks
Chicago Blackhawks
Columbus Blue Jackets
Vancouver Canucks
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft 176th overall, 1996
Colorado Avalanche
Playing career 1995–2015

Samuel Olof Påhlsson (/ˈpɔːlsən/; born December 17, 1977) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who last played with Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Påhlsson spent the majority of his playing career in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks. He was originally drafted 176th overall by the Colorado Avalanche at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, though he never played for the team.

Påhlsson won an Olympic gold medal with Sweden at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, as well as a Stanley Cup the following season with Anaheim in 2007.

Playing career

Sweden

After a stint with a fourth-tier men's league based out of his hometown Ånge, Sweden, Påhlsson joined the Modo Hockey organization in 1994–95, debuting in one Elitserien game. The following season, he split his time between Modo's Elitserien and junior teams. After recording 21 points over 30 junior games and 4 points over 36 Elitserien contests, Påhlsson was selected by the Colorado Avalanche, 176th overall, in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Following his draft, he remained in Sweden for four more years before moving to North America to begin his NHL career. Joining Modo's Elitserien team full-time in 1996–97, he improved to 17 points over 49 games. Two seasons later, he recorded an Elitserien career-high 17 goals, 17 assists and 34 points over 50 games. During his tenure with Modo, he played alongside Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who went on to become his NHL teammates in with the Vancouver Canucks in 2012.[1]

Påhlsson of the Anaheim Ducks skates in a pre-game warm-up during the 2006–07 season.
Påhlsson during a Canucks practice in 2012.

NHL

Following his last season with Modo in 1999–2000, Påhlsson's NHL rights were traded from the Avalanche to the Boston Bruins on March 6, 2000. He was sent to Boston, along with Brian Rolston, Martin Grenier and a first-round pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, in exchange for Dave Andreychuk and Ray Bourque. Påhlsson joined the Bruins for the 2000–01 season and played 17 games with the team before being traded once again on November 18, 2000, to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in exchange for Andrei Nazarov and Patrick Traverse. Påhlsson completed his NHL rookie campaign with nine points over 76 games.

The 2002–03 season brought Påhlsson and the Mighty Ducks to the Stanley Cup Finals, though they were defeated in seven games by the New Jersey Devils.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Påhlsson returned to Sweden to play for Frölunda HC, helping the team to an Elitserien championship. With 11 points over 14 post-season games, Påhlsson was named to the Playoff All-Star Team. With Frölunda, he played on a line with fellow NHLers P. J. Axelsson and Daniel Alfredsson.

Påhlsson with the Blue Jackets during the 2011–12 season.

Påhlsson returned to the Ducks the next year in the 2005–06 season, where the team advanced to the Conference Finals, falling to the Edmonton Oilers. The 2006–07 season would bring the Anaheim Ducks back to the Stanley Cup Finals. Since their last trip to the Finals, the Ducks' roster had changed significantly, though Påhlsson was one of the few remaining players from 2003. He was primarily utilized on the Ducks' checking line alongside Travis Moen and Rob Niedermayer. Påhlsson's efforts in a defensive role were instrumental in Anaheim's successful season; he helped the Ducks defeat the Ottawa Senators in five games to win his and the Ducks' first Stanley Cup championship. He totalled 12 points over 21 games in the playoffs, including the winning goal in Game 2 of the Finals. He was nominated for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward during the regular season, ultimately losing-out to defending champion Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes.

In the last year of his contract in 2008–09, Påhlsson was dealt at the NHL trade deadline on March 4, 2009, along with Logan Stephenson, to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for James Wisniewski and Petri Kontiola.[2] Påhlsson advanced to the Western Conference Finals with the Blackhawks, where they were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings. Becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, Påhlsson signed a three-year contract worth an annual average value of $2.65 million with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 1, 2009.

In a similar scenario to his trade from the Ducks three years prior, Påhlsson was once again traded the last season of his contract on February 27, 2012. He was sent to the Vancouver Canucks for defenceman Taylor Ellington and two fourth-round draft picks in 2012.[3][4] Påhlsson scored his first goal as a Canuck on March 8, a game-winner against the Winnipeg Jets.[5]

Return to Sweden

On June 18, 2012, in advance of the NHL's free agency period, Påhlsson ended his North American career to return to Sweden and signed a three-year contract to captain his original club, Modo Hockey.[6] Upon his return to Modo, after enjoying a primarily healthy career in the NHL, Påhlsson tore his Achilles tendon, which limited him to 23 injury-affected games in the 2012–13 season.

Påhlsson captained Modo in his first two seasons in his return before taking up an alternate leadership position in his final professional season in 2014–15. He added 14 points in 53 games before ending his professional career on April 16, 2015.[7]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Gold medal – first place2006 Turin
World Championships
Silver medal – second place2004 Czech Republic
Bronze medal – third place1999 Norway
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place1996 United States
European Junior Championship
Bronze medal – third place1995 Germany

In 2005–06, Påhlsson played for the Swedish Olympic team at the Winter Olympics in Turin, where he won the gold medal, playing the final games with his old line mates from the year before in Frölunda.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1994–95 Modo Hockey J20 30 10 11 21 26 — — — — —
1994–95 Modo Hockey SEL 36 1 3 4 8 4 0 0 0 0
1995–96 Modo Hockey J20 5 2 6 8 2 — — — — —
1995–96 Modo Hockey SEL 36 1 3 4 8 4 0 0 0 0
1996–97 Modo Hockey SEL 49 8 9 17 83 — — — — —
1997–98 Modo Hockey SEL 23 6 11 17 24 9 3 0 3 6
1998–99 Modo Hockey SEL 50 17 17 34 44 13 3 3 6 10
1999–2000 Modo Hockey SEL 47 16 11 27 67 13 3 3 6 8
2000–01 Boston Bruins NHL 17 1 1 2 6 — — — — —
2000–01 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 59 3 4 7 14 — — — — —
2001–02 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 80 6 14 20 26 — — — — —
2002–03 Cincinnati Mighty Ducks AHL 13 1 7 8 24 — — — — —
2002–03 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 34 4 11 15 18 21 2 4 6 12
2003–04 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 82 8 14 22 52 — — — — —
2004–05 Frölunda HC SEL 48 6 18 24 56 14 4 7 11 24
2005–06 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 82 11 10 21 34 16 2 3 5 18
2006–07 Anaheim Ducks NHL 82 8 18 26 42 21 3 9 12 20
2007–08 Anaheim Ducks NHL 56 6 9 15 34 6 0 0 0 0
2008–09 Anaheim Ducks NHL 52 5 10 15 32 — — — — —
2008–09 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 13 2 1 3 2 17 2 3 5 4
2009–10 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 79 3 13 16 32 — — — — —
2010–11 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 82 7 13 20 30 — — — — —
2011–12 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 61 2 9 11 22 — — — — —
2011–12 Vancouver Canucks NHL 19 2 4 6 12 5 1 0 1 4
2012–13 Modo Hockey SEL 23 0 4 4 8 5 0 0 0 12
2013–14 Modo Hockey SHL 55 10 9 19 40 2 0 1 1 0
2014–15 Modo Hockey SHL 53 4 10 14 28 — — — — —
SEL/SHL totals 384 67 92 159 378 64 14 15 29 64
NHL totals 798 68 131 199 356 86 10 19 29 58

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1995 Sweden EJC18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 5 1 4 5 2
1996 Sweden WJC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 0 0 0 0
1999 Sweden WC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 10 1 3 4 4
2000 Sweden WC 7th 7 0 0 0 4
2004 Sweden WCH 5th 4 0 0 0 6
2004 Sweden WC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 9 1 3 4 8
2005 Sweden WC 4th 9 2 5 7 28
2006 Sweden OG 1st place, gold medalist(s) 8 2 2 4 8
2010 Sweden OG 5th 3 0 1 1 2
Junior totals 12 1 4 5 2
Senior totals 50 6 14 20 60

Awards and honours

Award Year
SHL
Junior Player of the Year 1997
Le Mat Trophy 2005
All-Star Team 2005
NHL
Stanley Cup 2007

References

  1. ↑ "Sedins on the spot in a twins killing". The Vancouver Sun. May 3, 2007. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  2. ↑ "'Hawks get veteran center Pahlsson". nhl.com. March 4, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Canucks acquire Samuel Pahlsson from Columbus Blue Jackets". Vancouver Canucks. February 27, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Report: Canucks Acquire Pahlsson from Blue Jackets for Picks". TSN. February 27, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  5. ↑ Botchford, Jason (March 9, 2012). "Canucks' Pahlsson steps up with game-changing goal". The Province. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Samuel Pahlsson is home again" (in Swedish). Modo Hockey. June 18, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Captain of Modo and former NHL'er Pahlsson retires". allehanda.se (in Swedish). April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
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