Mattias Öhlund

Mattias Öhlund ( born September 9, 1976 in Piteå ) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who is since 2009 in the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League contract.

• 2.1 International

Career

The 1.88 m tall defender played for his hometown club Piteå HC and then moved in 1994 to Luleå HF in the Elitserien, the highest professional league in Swedish ice hockey. NHL Entry Draft 1994 Öhlund was selected as the 13th in the first round by the Canucks, but because he could not agree to a contract with general manager Pat Quinn, who left shooter remained at first but in his home country. There Öhlund became a regular player and also elected to the league -wide Rookie All-Star team of 1995/96 season.

For the season 1997/98 the defender finally lay before an offer of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, but this could Quinn this time to Öhlunds ideas on offer, so the Swede at the NHL season opener in Japan against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim his first games for the was able to complete Canucks. After the season, he was elected Sergei Samsonov from behind the Boston Bruins as the second best rookie in the league. In a preparation game for the season 1999/ 00 Öhlund was seriously injured when the puck hit him in the right eye. However, after two eye surgeries the defender was able to return despite constant eyesight even in the same season in the squad of the Canucks.

During the lockout in the season 2004/ 05 Mattias Öhlund returned for two games for his former club Luleå HF in Sweden. In November 2007, the shooter was left suspended for four matches after he was seriously injured Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild with a elbowing in the face. Koivu had then 24 games long pause injury. After his return Öhlund was with a goal against the Edmonton Oilers on December 15, with 84 career hits the highest-scoring defender in franchise history the Canucks.

Before the start of the 2008/09 season, the Swede was appointed along with Ryan Kesler and Willie Mitchell as assistant captain behind goalkeeper Roberto Luongo. On 1 July 2009 he signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Internationally

With the Swedish junior national Mattias Öhlund contested the U18 European Junior Championships in 1994, the U20 Junior World Championships in 1994, 1995 and 1996, when he was named best defender and also elected to the World Cup All- Star team. Overall, he won two silver medals (1994 and 1996) and one bronze (1995 ) in his three appearances.

With the Lord Öhlund selection in 1998 Hockey World Champion, also he could once each the silver (1997 ) and one bronze (2001) at the World Championships win.

In addition, the defenders stood at three Olympic hockey tournaments for his country on the ice. 2002 Öhlund was appointed for the second time after 1998 in the Swedish Olympic squad. During a preseason game of the links Sagittarius by the IOC was tested positive for the banned substance acetazolamide and then initially excluded from the games. Since the drug was, however, occupied by Öhlund unknowingly with a medical means in connection with his eye operation, the Swede was subsequently acquitted. After an outstanding first round, the Swedish team but failed in the quarter- finals of Belarus. In four games Öhlund scored a total of two assists.

2006 Öhlund was with the " Tre Kronor " Olympic champion. Although he was not in the final game on the ice, was the defender of the IOC a gold medal after his teammates from the NHL, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, as well as its replacement Niklas Kronwall had offered to surrender their gold medal at Öhlund. Also at the 2010 Winter Olympics took Öhlund part with the Swedish national ice hockey team.

In addition, Mattias Öhlund stood at the World Cup of Hockey 2004 for Sweden on the ice.

Awards and achievements

Internationally

Career Stats

( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )