Markus Sten Näslund (born 30 July 1973) is a Swedish former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

player and former general manager for

Modo Hockey Modo Hockey (or MoDo with uppercase letters) is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The team plays in Sweden's second-tier league HockeyAllsvenskan. The club was founded in 1987 and has won one SHL championships; in 2007. ...

of the

Swedish Hockey League The Swedish Hockey League (officially SHL; sv, Svenska Hockeyligan) is a professional ice hockey league, and the highest division in the Swedish ice hockey system. The league currently consists of 14 teams. The league was founded in 1975, an ...

(SHL, formerly named Elitserien). He played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

(NHL) for the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...

and

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

, as well as in the

Elitserien Elitserien (literally, "the Elite League") is the name of several Swedish nationwide sport leagues. In many sports, Elitserien is the highest league, with the second highest named Allsvenskan. Elitserien leagues at present: * Elitserien (badmint ...

with Modo Hockey. Nicknamed "Nazzy" by Canucks fans and "Macke" or "Mackan" in his native Sweden, he was known for his offensive skills, particularly his

wrist shot A wrist shot is a type of hockey shot that involves using arm muscles (especially those in the wrist and forearm) to propel a puck forward from the concave side of the blade of a hockey stick. Generally, when the puck is shot in a similar manne ...

and stickhandling. After playing

junior hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...

within the Modo organization, Näslund turned professional with the club's Elitserien team in 1990–91. Selected in the first round, 16th overall by the Penguins in the

1991 NHL Entry Draft The 1991 NHL Entry Draft was the 29th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The worst team in the previous 1990–91 season, the Quebec Nordiques, was give ...

, he joined the NHL in 1993–94. After his tenure with Pittsburgh, Näslund was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

, where he spent 12 years, including a team record 8 as

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. With the Canucks Näslund was thrice first team All-Star, chosen in

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...

and

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

, a

Lester B. Pearson Award Pearson may refer to: Organizations Education *Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada *Pearson College (UK), London, owned by Pearson PLC *Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation) Companies *Pearson PLC, a UK-based int ...

recipient in 2003, and runner-up for the

Hart Hart often refers to: * Hart (deer) Hart may also refer to: Organizations * Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer * Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer * Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department stores * Hart's Reptile Wo ...

Art Ross Arthur Howe Ross (January 13, 1885 – August 5, 1964) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck ...

, and Rocket Richard Trophies in 2003. He received the Cyclone Taylor Trophy as the Canucks' most valuable player five times and the Cyrus H. McLean Trophy as the leading point-scorer for seven consecutive seasons—both club records—en route to becoming the franchise leader in goals and points. In

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, Näslund signed with the Rangers, where he spent one season before announcing his retirement from the NHL after 15 season. Midway through the 2009–10 season, he returned to play for Modo before retiring a second time. In December 2010, he became the third Canucks player to have his jersey retired, joining

Stan Smyl Stan or STAN may refer to: People * Stan (given name), a list of people with the given name ** Stan Laurel (1890–1965), English comic actor, part of duo Laurel and Hardy * Stan (surname), a Romanian surname * Stan! (born 1964), American author, ...

and

Trevor Linden Trevor John Linden (born April 11, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former president of hockey operations and alternate governor of the Vancouver Canucks. He spent 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), play ...

. Internationally, Näslund has competed with the Swedish national team in two European Junior Championships, two World Junior Championships, four

World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

, two

World Cups A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...

and one

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were h ...

. He holds the World Junior record for most goals scored in a single tournament, scoring 13 in

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...

, while also winning back-to-back silver medals at the competition. In World Championship play, he won a silver medal in

and two bronze medals in

1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...

and

. On 21 April 2014, Näslund was inducted into the Swedish Hockey Hall Of Fame.

Early life

Näslund was born to Sture and Ulla Näslund on 30 July 1973 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The city has produced numerous NHL players, including childhood friend and future Modo Hockey teammate

Peter Forsberg Peter Mattias Forsberg (; born 20 July 1973) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player and former assistant general manager of Modo Hockey. Nicknamed "Peter the Great" and "Foppa", Forsberg was known for his on-ice vision and physical pl ...

, as well as

Victor Hedman Victor Erik Olof Hedman (; born 18 December 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hedman was selected second overall by the Lightning in the ...

and future Canucks teammates

Henrik Henrik is a male given name of Germanic origin, primarily used in Scandinavia, Estonia, Hungary and Slovenia. In Poland, the name is spelt Henryk but pronounced similarly. Equivalents in other languages are Henry (English), Heiki (Estonian), Heikk ...

and

Daniel Sedin Daniel Hans Sedin (born 26 September 1980) is a Swedish professional ice hockey executive and former professional ice hockey winger who played his entire 17-season National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Vancouver Canucks from 2000 to 2018 ...

. Growing up idolizing Swedish NHL and Elitserien star

Håkan Loob Håkan Per Loob (born 3 July 1960) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player for Färjestad BK of the Elitserien and the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the head of European Scouting for the Calgary Flames afte ...

, he played most of his organized hockey at an outdoor rink in his neighbourhood during his youth. At age 14, Näslund competed with the regional all-star team from

Ångermanland Ångermanland ( or ) is a historical province (''landskap'') in the northern part of Sweden. It is bordered (clockwise from the north) by Swedish Lapland, Västerbotten, the Gulf of Bothnia, Medelpad and Jämtland. The name is derived from the O ...

, helping the squad win a national under-16 championship at

TV-pucken TV-pucken ( en, the TV puck) is a Swedish national ice hockey tournament for district teams of boys under 15 years of age. Since 2019, girls also compete in TV-pucken with their own tournament. It was created on the initiative of Swedish ice hockey ...

in 1988. He received the

Sven Tumba Sven Tumba (born ''Sven'' Olof Gunnar Johansson; 28 August 1931 – 1 October 2011) was one of the most prominent Swedish ice hockey players of the 1950s and 1960s. He also represented Sweden in football as well as golf and became Swedish champio ...

Award as the tournament's best forward. Born within 10 days of each other, Näslund and Forsberg became well-acquainted while playing on separate youth teams. They went on to join the Ångermanland team together, before competing on the same side at the junior and senior levels for Modo Hockey and the Swedish national team. They attended high school together and had summer jobs at the age of 18 with the same electrical company that employed both Näslund's mother and Forsberg's father,

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

Playing career

Modo Hockey

At age 15, Näslund played a season with Örnsköldsviks SK in Sweden's third-tier men's league. Appearing in 14 games, he scored 7 goals and 13 points. The following season, in 1989–90, Näslund joined the Modo Hockey organization, playing in Sweden's highest-level junior league, the

J20 SuperElit J20 Nationell is a junior ice hockey league composed of 20 teams in Sweden. Previously known as the J20 SuperElit, it is the highest-level junior ice hockey league in Sweden. The teams are divided in two groups, or divisions, ''Norra'' (North) ...

, where he and Peter Forsberg skated together on one of the most productive lines in the league. The pair helped Modo to win back-to-back junior championships. After a season of junior, in 1990–91 Näslund joined Modo's professional team in the Elitserien, Sweden's premiere league. The Modo equipment manager designated him with the jersey number 19, which Näslund thereafter opted to wear with the Swedish national teams he played on. He recorded 10 goals and 19 points in his rookie season, a record points total for a 17-year-old in the league, until

Robert Nilsson Robert Åke Nilsson (born January 10, 1985) is a Canadian-born Swedish former professional ice hockey forward. He last played with the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL). Playing career Nilsson began his career in the Elitserien with Leks ...

scored 21 in 2002–03. In the off-season, Näslund was drafted 16th overall in the

by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team's general manager,

Craig Patrick Craig Patrick (born May 20, 1946) is an American former hockey player, coach and general manager, the son of Lynn Patrick and the grandson of Lester Patrick. During the 1980 Winter Olympics, Patrick was the Assistant General Manager and Assistant ...

, hailed Näslund and Forsberg as the draft's top two prospects behind first-overall selection

Eric Lindros Eric Bryan Lindros (; born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Lindros was born in London, Ontario, but grew up in Toronto. He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Oshawa Generals pr ...

. He compared Näslund to the

Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...

' Swedish forward

Tomas Sandström Tomas Sandström (born September 4, 1964) is a Finnish-born Swedish former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1984 to 1999. Born in Finland, Sandström grew up in Fagersta, Sweden. A skille ...

, although he did not consider him as aggressive a player, and further claimed that he was a more natural goal-scorer than Penguins forward

Jaromír Jágr Jaromír Jágr (; born 15 February 1972) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger for and the owner of Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, ...

, who had just completed his rookie year with the club. Näslund remained in Sweden with Modo for two more years, recording a team-leading 39 points in 1991–92. He matched that points total the following season before helping Modo to the quarterfinals of the Elitserien playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Following the 1992–93 season, his contract with Modo expired on 30 April 1993, and he had not yet come to terms with the Penguins. According to the

collective bargaining Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and rights for workers. The i ...

agreement (CBA) between the NHL and

NHL Players Association NHLPA (french: AJLNH) is the labour union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in the National Hockey League (NHL) located in the United States and Canada. The association re ...

(NHLPA), he was entitled to

free agency In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

within the league, beginning on 1 July. However, a conflicting agreement between the league and Swedish ice hockey officials required that he sign an NHL contract on or before 30 June in order to leave Sweden. With the deadline approaching, Näslund filed a federal lawsuit against the NHL claiming that their agreement with Swedish officials could not override his rights as a player under the CBA. The case went to a federal judge in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Gil Stein released an

affidavit An ( ; Medieval Latin for "he has declared under oath") is a written statement voluntarily made by an ''affiant'' or '' deponent'' under an oath or affirmation which is administered by a person who is authorized to do so by law. Such a statemen ...

stating the NHL-Swedish agreement did not apply to Näslund, as he was not under contract with any Swedish team. Näslund became a Group 4 restricted free agent on 1 July. He did not receive any offers from other teams due to an apparent promise from the Penguins organization to exercise their right to match. After two months of free agency, Näslund and the Penguins agreed to a deal on 9 September 1993, worth approximately US$1.8 million over three years, including a $750,000 signing bonus. Näslund subsequently joined the Penguins for the 1993–94 season. Due to teammate

Bryan Trottier Bryan John Trottier (born July 17, 1956) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the ...

already wearing his Modo jersey number, 19, he chose number 29 instead. He appeared in his first NHL game on 5 October 1993 against the

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...

. Five days later, he registered his first NHL point, an assist, during a game against the

Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...

. His first NHL goal came the following month on 9 November 1993 in a 3–3 tie against the

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...

. The goal came in the first period on the powerplay against goaltender

Curtis Joseph Curtis Shayne Joseph (né Munro; born April 29, 1967) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional player. Nicknamed "Cujo", Joseph was immediately recognizable on the ice for his masks featuring a snarling dog, drawing inspiration fro ...

, assisted by Doug Brown and

Marty McSorley Martin James McSorley (born May 18, 1963) is a Canadian former professional hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1983 until 2000. A versatile player, he was able to play both the forward and defense positions. A form ...

. Upon entering the NHL, Näslund struggled and was admittedly frustrated with himself. As a result, he was demoted to the Penguins' International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, the

Cleveland Lumberjacks The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League (IHL) team based in Cleveland, Ohio. Facts :Owner: Larry Gordon :Logo design: "Buzz"- A beaver wearing overalls holding a homemade hockey stick framed by a circular saw blade :Divis ...

, on several occasions. He finished his rookie campaign with four goals and seven assists in 71 games. Although the Penguins qualified for the 1994 playoffs, Näslund did not participate in post-season play, being made a healthy scratch (non-dressing player), and watched as Washington eliminated Pittsburgh in the first round. The following season, shortened due to the 1994–95 labour dispute, he continued to split playing time between the NHL and IHL. In 14 games with Pittsburgh, he scored two goals and four points, while recording seven points in seven games with Cleveland. He did not appear in the NHL playoffs for a second straight season, despite the Penguins qualifying. Instead, he was assigned to Cleveland for their playoff season, in which he recorded four points in four games. Frustrated by his ongoing demotions to the IHL, at one point during the season he requested to be traded from Pittsburgh. Näslund impressed in his third training camp with the Penguins, held prior to the 1995–96 season. He was labelled in the media as "Mr. September", referring to his ability to show promise before struggling once the season began. Due to the departures of All-Star left-wingers

Kevin Stevens Kevin Stevens (born April 15, 1965) is an American former ice hockey player and current scout in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played left wing on a line with Mario Lemieux during the Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup championships in ...

and

Luc Robitaille Luc Jean-Marie Robitaille (born February 17, 1966) is a Canadian–American professional ice hockey executive and former player. He currently serves as president of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). During his 19-season N ...

from the Penguins, Näslund had an opportunity for a more prominent role with the club in 1995–96. He played on the second offensive unit with winger Jaromír Jágr and centre Ron Francis during training camp before being moved up to the first line with

Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux (; ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2006, and he assumed ownership of the f ...

. He showed an immediate improvement, starting the season with 36 points in 29 games. He recorded his first NHL career

hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...

on 28 November 1995 in a 7–2 win over the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...

. However, his production slowed later in the season; he was scratched on several occasions and was demoted to the third and fourth lines by February.

Vancouver Canucks

1996–2000: Trade to Vancouver and captaincy

In the final year of his contract with Pittsburgh, he was the subject of trade rumours. The ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...

'' listed the

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...

as the most likely candidate to deal for Näslund. However, on 20 March 1996, he was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Alek Stojanov. The deal would be regarded as one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history once Näslund displayed his full offensive capabilities later in his career. Stojanov, who had been drafted eight spots ahead of Näslund in the 1991 Draft, went on to play 45 games, scoring two goals and four assists for the Penguins over the next two seasons. He became a career minor-leaguer and retired by age 29, while Näslund would eventually play 884 games with the Canucks in 12 seasons. Näslund made his debut with the team two days following the trade against the

Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and were founde ...

. As his desired jersey number 19 was already being worn on the team by Tim Hunter, the Canucks gave him number 22. Going pointless in his first nine games with his new club, Näslund recorded a hat-trick in the last game of the regular season, a 5–0 win over the

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...

on 13 April 1996. The victory qualified the Canucks for the 1996 playoffs. He finished the regular season with a combined 22 goals and 55 points over 76 games between Pittsburgh and Vancouver. Näslund competed in his first NHL playoffs as the Canucks faced the

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...

in the first round. He scored his first career NHL playoff goal in the final game of the series, opening the scoring against goaltender

Patrick Roy Patrick Jacques Roy (; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender and executive, who serves as the head coach for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 2017, Roy was named o ...

on the powerplay. Colorado won 3–2 to eliminate Vancouver in six games. Näslund added two assists over the course of the series for three points total. In the off-season, he was re-signed by the Canucks on 8 August 1996. Näslund switched his jersey number back to 19 from his time with Modo, as Hunter left the team. In his first full campaign with the Canucks, he recorded 21 goals and 41 points over 78 games. The Canucks failed to qualify for the playoffs that season; they would not return to the post-season until 2001. At the start of the 1997–98 season, Canucks head coach

Mike Keenan Michael Edward Keenan (born October 21, 1949) is a Canadian professional hockey coach who most recently coached the Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League. Previously, he served as head coach and/or general manager with several NHL team ...

scratched a healthy Näslund, prompting him to request a trade once again. He finished the year with 14 goals and 34 points over 76 games. The following campaign, Näslund emerged as an offensive leader with the Canucks. Injuries to forwards

Alexander Mogilny Alexander Gennadevich Mogilny (russian: Александр Геннадиевич Могильный; born February 18, 1969) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and the current president of Amur Khabarovsk of the Kontinental Hocke ...

and

Todd Bertuzzi Todd Bertuzzi (born February 2, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger of the National Hockey League (NHL). Known as a power forward, he has played in the NHL for the New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, ...

, as well as the absence of

Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...

, resulted in Näslund earning more ice time. He scored his third NHL career hat-trick on 5 December 1998 during a 4–1 win against the Dallas Stars. At mid-season, he was named to his first

NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...

, held in January 1999. He went on to record a team-leading 36 goals and 66 points, resulting in him being awarded the Cyclone Taylor Trophy as the Canucks' most valuable player—his first of five during his tenure with Vancouver— as well as his first of two of the team's annual

Most Exciting Player Award The Pavel Bure Most Exciting Player Award is an annual award presented by the Vancouver Canucks to the player judged to be team's most exciting as voted by the fans. It is one of six annual team awards presented to Canucks players, awarded on the ...

s (he received his second two years later). In the off-season, he was re-signed by the Canucks to a three-year, $7.2 million contract. During the Canucks' 2000–01 training camp in Sweden, Näslund was named

team captain In team sport, captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. In eithe ...

on 15 September 2000. He replaced

Mark Messier Mark John Douglas Messier (; born January 18, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League (NHL). His playing career in the NHL lasted 25 years ( 1979– 2004) with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rang ...

, who had returned as a free agent to the New York Rangers, and became the first European-born captain in Canucks' history. Näslund has cited Messier as his greatest playing influence, having played alongside him the previous three seasons. In his first year as team captain, Näslund continued to improve offensively and was named to his second

, held in February 2001. With 10 games remaining in the season, he suffered a broken leg on 16 March 2001 during a contest against the

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...

. Chasing a loose puck in the third period, he was hit by Sabres defencemen

Jay McKee Jay McKee (born September 8, 1977) is a Canadian coach and former professional ice hockey defenceman. He last played for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, and was previously with the Buffalo Sabres and the St. Louis Blues. Th ...

and

Rhett Warrener Rhett Adam Warrener (born January 27, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played over 700 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames between 1995 an ...

simultaneously, falling awkwardly on his right leg. Näslund was sidelined for the remainder of the season, as he required surgery to repair broken

tibia The tibia (; ), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the tibia); it connects ...

and

fibula The fibula or calf bone is a leg bone on the lateral side of the tibia, to which it is connected above and below. It is the smaller of the two bones and, in proportion to its length, the most slender of all the long bones. Its upper extremity is ...

bones. His 41 goals at the time of the injury were tied for third in the league, while his 75 points ranked in 11th place. As a result, he received his first of three career Viking Awards, given to the best Swedish player in the NHL. Without Näslund in the lineup, the Canucks finished the season with the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference, but were swept in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche in four games. The Canucks' return to the playoffs marked a turning point in the team's success. After undergoing a rebuilding period in the late-90s under leading point-scorers Messier, Bure and Mogilny, Näslund formed a new core that included Bertuzzi,

Brendan Morrison Brendan Morrison (born August 15, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, Washington Capit ...

Ed Jovanovski Edward Jovanovski (born June 26, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, and is of Macedonian descent. Jovanovski played major junior ice hockey for two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires ...

and

Mattias Öhlund Kenneth Mattias Öhlund (born 9 September 1976) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning. Öhlund played two seasons in the Swedish All ...

. He recalls "grow ngup together in the early 2000s" with this group of players as his "fondest memory" in the NHL.

2001–2005 West Coast Express

Set to enter the final year of his contract, Näslund re-signed with the Canucks to a three-year extension on 28 June 2001. He spent the off-season rehabilitating his leg, which was held together with a titanium rod and screws following surgery, at his private gym in his hometown of Örnsköldsvik. He returned from his injury in 2001–02 and improved to 40 goals and 90 points, which ranked second in the league behind

Jarome Iginla Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He played over 1500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Br ...

. The 2001–02 campaign marked the beginning of what was widely considered the most effective line combination in the league for several seasons. Näslund and Bertuzzi had already formed a duo as wingers on the Canucks' top line for more than two seasons when head coach

Marc Crawford Marc Joseph John Crawford (born February 13, 1961) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He most recently was the assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Crawford won the Stanley Cu ...

replaced

centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...

Andrew Cassels Andrew William Cassels (born July 23, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue ...

with Brendan Morrison during a game on 9 January 2002. The trio were dubbed the "

West Coast Express The West Coast Express is a commuter railway serving the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it provides a link between Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Regional District and is the only commuter railway in ...

", named after Vancouver's commuter rail service of the same name. The formation of Näslund's new line coincided with an eight-goal, 21-point effort over 14 games in January 2002, earning him NHL Player of the Month honours. He was later chosen to represent the World Team at the

2002 NHL All-Star Game The 2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game took place on February 2, 2002, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The final score was World 8, North America 5. This was the last NHL All-Star Game to have the North America vs. World All-Star for ...

in Los Angeles and scored the game-winning goal in an 8–5 victory over the North American team. The Canucks finished the season with the eighth seed in the Western Conference for the second straight year, resulting in a first-round playoff match-up with the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

. It was Näslund's first appearance in the post-season since his initial year with the Canucks in 1996. He was limited to a goal and an assist as Vancouver was eliminated by a Detroit side captained by the legendary

Steve Yzerman Stephen Gregory Yzerman (; born May 9, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player currently serving as executive vice president and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he spent all 22 seasons of his NHL playing c ...

and backstopped by perennial All-Star and future Hall of Famer Dominic Hasek. The Canucks fell in six games, despite winning the opening two games of the series. In the off-season, Näslund received NHL first team All-Star honours as the league's top left-winger. He also finished fifth in

Hart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was donat ...

balloting. In 2002–03, with the West Coast Express line intact for a full season, Näslund finished with a career-high of 48 goals and 104 points, finishing second in the league in both categories. Furthermore, he led the league with 54 powerplay points and 12 game-winning goals. Näslund's linemates also produced career seasons as Bertuzzi recorded 97 points, which ranked fifth in league scoring, while Morrison tallied 71. Together, the trio accounted for 45% of the Canucks' 264 goals. Early in the season, Näslund scored his eighth career NHL hat-trick, scoring three goals in a seven-minute span during the second period of a 5–2 win over the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...

on 21 October 2002. On 14 December, he scored a career-high four goals in a 6–3 win over the Edmonton Oilers, tying a Canucks record for most goals in a single game. Named to his third consecutive

All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...

, held in February 2003, Näslund scored a goal in the first shootout in All-Star Game history to help the Western Conference defeat the Eastern Conference 6–5. He was joined on the All-Star squad by three other Canucks – Bertuzzi, Ed Jovanovski and head coach Marc Crawford. Crawford paired Näslund on a line with Peter Forsberg, marking the first time in nearly 10 years the two had played together. Later that month, Näslund registered another career-high game with a six-point night (one goal, five assists) in an 8–0 victory over the

Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...

on 14 February 2003. The win extended the Canucks' franchise record unbeaten streak to 14 games. On 27 March, he recorded an assist in a 5–1 win against the

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...

for his 100th point of the season, becoming the third Canuck to reach the plateau after Pavel Bure and Alexander Mogilny. On the last day of the 2002–03 regular season, the Canucks lost the Northwest Division title to the Colorado Avalanche through a defeat against the Los Angeles Kings. Näslund had also begun the night as the league's leading point – and goal-scorer, but was surpassed by Avalanche forwards Peter Forsberg and

Milan Hejduk Milan Hejduk (; born February 14, 1976) is a Czech-American former professional ice hockey forward. Nicknamed "the Duke", he spent his entire 14-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Colorado Avalanche and retired holding the record ...

, respectively. After the game, Näslund apologized to the home fans at

General Motors Place Rogers Arena is a multi-purpose arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, the arena was known as General Motors Place (GM Place) from its opening until July 6, 2010, when G ...

, saying the team "choked." Qualifying for the 2003 playoffs, Vancouver won its first-round matchup against the St. Louis Blues in seven games after trailing the series three games to one. Näslund scored a goal in the deciding game to help the Canucks advance. Against the

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...

in the next round, the Canucks were eliminated by relinquishing a three-to-one series lead of their own. Näslund finished the playoffs with a career-high 14 points in 14 games. In the off-season, Näslund received the

(since renamed the Ted Lindsay Award), given to the league's best player as voted by the NHLPA. By beating out fellow award nominees Forsberg and

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

centre

Joe Thornton Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers of the ...

, he became the first Swedish-born recipient of the award, as well as the first Canucks player. He was presented the trophy during a ceremony at the

Hockey Hall of Fame , logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg , logo_upright = 0.5 , image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg , caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992 , map_type = , former_name = , established = 1943 , location = 30 Y ...

. Näslund was also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league's most valuable player as voted by the

Professional Hockey Writers' Association The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) is a North American professional association for ice hockey journalists writing for newspapers, magazines and websites. The PHWA was founded in 1967 and has approximately 180 voting members. The a ...

. He finished as first runner-up to Forsberg, receiving five first-place ballots out of 62 compared to Forsberg's 38. Second runner-up

Martin Brodeur Martin Pierre Brodeur (; born May 6, 1972) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey goaltender and current team executive. He played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 21 of them for the New Jersey Devils, with whom ...

of the

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

had 14 first-place ballots, but less voting points overall than Näslund. Despite losing the Hart, he was chosen by ''

The Hockey News ''The Hockey News'' (''THN'') is a Canadian-based ice hockey magazine. ''The Hockey News'' was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Will Cote and has since become the most recognized hockey publication in North America. The magazine has a readers ...

'' as the league's most valuable player that year. Näslund also received both the Viking Award and First Team All-Star honours for the second time. The following season, Näslund led the Canucks in scoring for the sixth-straight year. His 84 points ranked fourth in the league, while his 35 goals was seventh. His even-strength points topped the league at 58. It marked, however, the beginning of a consistent decline in offensive production for the remainder of his NHL career. He was briefly sidelined in early December 2003 due to a groin injury, but returned to score his second career four-goal game, scoring all the Canucks' goals in a 4–3 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, on 9 December 2003. At mid-season, he was selected as team captain for the Western Conference at the

2004 NHL All-Star Game The 2004 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on February 8, 2004, at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Saint Paul, home of the Minnesota Wild. The Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conferenc ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. On 16 February 2004, during a game against the Colorado Avalanche, Näslund received a body-check to the head from opposing forward Steve Moore. Outstretched to retrieve a loose puck, he was hit by Moore with his elbow and shoulder. The league's leading scorer at the time, he sustained a minor

concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...

, requiring 13 stitches on his forehead and nose, and was sidelined for three games. He also suffered a hyper-extended elbow when he fell to the ice, which he played with through the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. Moore's hit went unpenalized and several Canucks players vowed to exact revenge when the Canucks and Avalanche were set to play each other again on 8 March. Late in the third period of that subsequent game, Todd Bertuzzi skated behind Moore around the ice, punched him in the head and pushed him to the ice. Moore suffered career-ending injuries and Bertuzzi was suspended indefinitely by the league. A close friend of Bertuzzi's, Näslund was deeply affected by the incident, as subsequent lawsuits and public scrutiny negatively impacted Bertuzzi's career. Several years later, Näslund stated, "It still bothers me what Todd has had to go through...There's no question he was standing up for me...it all went too far." Despite the absence of Bertuzzi for the remainder of the season, Näslund led the Canucks to the Northwest Division title they had lost the previous season. Bertuzzi was replaced on the top line by

Matt Cooke Matthew David Cooke (born September 7, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played sixteen seasons and 1046 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). Cooke won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the ...

. The Canucks' division title placed them third in the Western Conference standings, matching them against the sixth-placed Calgary Flames in the opening round of the 2004 playoffs. In the seventh and deciding game of the series between the two teams, the Canucks faced a one-goal deficit in the final minute of regulation time. With the Canucks having pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker, Näslund stickhandled the length of the ice past two defenders, before shooting the puck on goal. Calgary goaltender

Miikka Kiprusoff Miikka Sakari Kiprusoff (; born October 26, 1976), nicknamed "Kipper", is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames during his National Hockey League (NHL) career. He was selected in ...

saved the shot before Cooke scored on the rebound with six seconds left in the game. Despite the effort, Calgary subsequently eliminated Vancouver a minute-and-a-half into the subsequent overtime period on a powerplay goal. Näslund finished the playoffs with nine points in seven games. At the end of the campaign, he received his second consecutive and third career Viking Award and First Team All-Star mention. In the three seasons from 2001–02 to 2003–04, Näslund scored the most goals (123) and points (278) of any NHL player. During the NHL labour conflict, he returned to play for Modo Hockey of the Elitserien in 2004–05. Näslund announced his return in mid-January in order to meet the 31 January player-transfer deadline for European clubs, joining Canucks teammates Daniel and Henrik Sedin, as well as former Modo teammate Peter Forsberg on the squad. He was originally expected to sign with Modo before the season started in September, but he returned to Vancouver after spending the summer in Sweden. Vancouver radio-station Team 1040 cited high tax premiums explaining the decision, while Näslund later reasoned that he preferred to be readily available for the NHL, just in case the league and NHLPA could come to an agreement and the season was salvaged. He played his first game for Modo in nearly 12 years on 20 January 2005, receiving a standing ovation from the home crowd. Näslund went on to appear in 13 games, scoring 17 points. Modo finished in sixth place during the regular season before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by

Färjestad BK Färjestad Bollklubb (; abbreviated as FBK) is a Swedish professional ice hockey team based in Karlstad. Färjestad has had 21 Swedish Championship final appearances, winning ten times since the Swedish Hockey League (SHL; formerly Elitserien) ...

Post-lockout

As NHL play was set to resume for the 2005–06 season, Näslund became an unrestricted free agent. On the open market for several days, he re-signed with the Canucks for three more years on 3 August 2005, at $6 million per season. Vancouver newspaper ''

The Province ''The Province'' is a daily newspaper published in tabloid format in British Columbia by Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, alongside the ''Vancouver Sun'' broadsheet newspaper. Together, they are British Columbia's only ...

'' reported that two other teams had offered deals that matched the contract he signed, but Näslund ultimately chose to remain with the Canucks because he felt the club had a better chance of winning the

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...

. At the time, Näslund said he hoped to retire as a Canuck. For a franchise-record seventh consecutive season, he led the Canucks in scoring, with 32 goals and 79 points. Despite new NHL rules set in place after the lockout that sought to allow skilled players such as Näslund and his linemates to thrive, all three members of the Canucks' top line saw decreased offensive production in 2005–06. Furthermore, the Canucks failed to make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, finishing at ninth place in the Western Conference, despite early-season projections to be Stanley Cup contenders. Consequently, significant changes to the Canucks' personnel were made in the off-season. Of particular significance to Näslund, longtime linemate Bertuzzi was traded to the

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

in exchange for goaltender

Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...

, while

Alain Vigneault Alain Vigneault (born May 14, 1961) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. Vigneault has previously coached the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL, as well as in the Quebec Major Ju ...

replaced Marc Crawford with a more defensive-minded coaching approach. Crawford later recalled the 2005–06 season as a turning point in Näslund's role as the offensive leader on the team, noting that Henrik and Daniel Sedin had surpassed him and Bertuzzi in that respect as the campaign progressed. Facing significant changes in the 2006–07 season, Näslund's points total continued to decrease. He began the season by scoring his 300th goal as a Canuck during the team's home-opener against the San Jose Sharks on 14 October 2006. The goal tied Canucks teammate

for the franchise lead in all-time goals. He soon surpassed Linden with his 301st goal against the Edmonton Oilers on 17 October. Near the midway point of the season, however, Näslund went through a 17-game stretch without a goal. He completed the season with 60 points, his lowest output since 1997–98. Teammate Daniel Sedin had 84 points, marking the first time in eight seasons that Näslund did not lead the team in scoring. In the 2007 post-season, Näslund contributed five points before the team was eliminated by the

Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center. ...

in the Conference Semifinals. Markus_Naslund

In 2007–08, Näslund set several more career marks. On 21 November 2007, Näslund tied the Canucks' franchise record of 10 hat-tricks with a three-goal game against the Minnesota Wild, a 4–2 win for Vancouver. It was his first hat-trick since December 2003 and 11th in his career overall. Several games later, on 5 December, Näslund became the Canucks' franchise leading point-scorer, assisting on defenceman Mattias Öhlund's goal and passing Linden with 725 points. The following month, on 17 January 2008, Näslund played his 1,000th career game against the Detroit Red Wings, scoring a goal in a 3–2 shootout loss. Playing parts of the season on a line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, he recorded 25 goals and 55 points. As Näslund's free agency approached on 1 July 2008, Näslund made it clear that the style of play and the player personnel of a team would be important factors in determining which team he would sign with after his contract with the Canucks expired. He was admittedly frustrated with Vigneault's defensive coaching style. Furthermore, since Bertuzzi's departure in the summer of 2006, Vigneault placed Näslund on inconsistent line combinations, often with career minor-leaguers. While he did not rule out the possibility of returning to Vancouver, he sold his Vancouver home and described his return as questionable.

New York Rangers

Näslund signed a two-year, $8 million contract, including a $1 million signing bonus, with the New York Rangers on 3 July 2008. Upon signing, he revealed New York was his preferred destination heading into free agency. He left Vancouver as the franchise's all-time leader in goals and points with 346 and 756, respectively. His departure also ended his eight-year tenure as team captain, matching

's captaincy as the longest in franchise history. General manager

Mike Gillis Michael David Gillis (born December 1, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks. He was born in Sudbury, Ontario. Playing career Gillis spent his junior hockey ca ...

, who formerly acted as Näslund's agent, released a statement on behalf of the Canucks organization, commending him as "one of the greatest athletes to ever represent the Canucks both on and off of the ice". Naslund chose to wear #91 with the Rangers, as his #19 was already being worn by

Scott Gomez Scott Carlos Gomez (born December 23, 1979) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was the assistant coach for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Gomez had previously played in the NHL with t ...

. As the Rangers held their training camp for the 2008–09 season overseas in Europe, they competed in a one-game challenge against Russian squad

Metallurg Magnitogorsk Metallurg Magnitogorsk (russian: Металлург Магнитогорск) is a professional ice hockey team based in Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Kharlamov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League. They a ...

on 1 October 2008 in

Bern, Switzerland german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese , neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen , website ...

. The Rangers won the game 4–3, capturing the inaugural Victoria Cup. On 3 October, Näslund was named an

alternate captain In ice hockey, the captain is the player designated by a team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when the captain is on the ice. At most levels of play each team must designate one captai ...

for the Rangers. The next day, he scored his first goal as a Ranger during the season-opener in

Prague, Czech Republic Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate oc ...

, a 2–1 win against the

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...

. In his only season with the Rangers, Näslund led the team in scoring with 24 goals and was fourth in points with 46. He added three points in the playoffs, as the Rangers were eliminated in the first round by the Washington Capitals. Following the Rangers' defeat, he announced his retirement from the NHL on 4 May 2009, at the age of 35. Näslund had informed Rangers general manager

Glen Sather Glen Cameron “Slats” Sather (born September 2, 1943) is a Canadian ice hockey player, coach and executive. He is the current senior advisor and alternate governor of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the Rangers ...

, head coach John Tortorella, and his teammates of his intention to retire prior to the team's playoff elimination. By announcing his retirement early in the off-season, Näslund forfeited a $2 million

buyout In finance, a buyout is an investment transaction by which the ownership equity of a company, or a majority share of the stock of the company is acquired. The acquiror thereby "buys out" the present equity holders of the target company. A buyout ...

from the Rangers, which would have counted against the team's

salary cap In professional sports, a salary cap (or wage cap) is an agreement or rule that places a limit on the amount of money that a team can spend on players' salaries. It exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both. Sever ...

for the following season had he waited until he was formally bought out. Näslund retired from the NHL second among all-time Swedish players with 395 goals (behind

Mats Sundin Mats Johan Sundin (; born 13 February 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), retiring in 2009. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played ...

's 564; he retired the same year). His 869 points ranked fifth, while his 1,117 games played ranked fourth.

Return to Modo and retirement

Näslund returned to Sweden with his family in the summer of 2009. During this time, Peter Forsberg was attempting a return to the NHL for the 2009–10 season, playing with Modo and the Swedish national team for conditioning purposes. Among the NHL teams interested were the Vancouver Canucks. Näslund had previously tried recruiting Forsberg to play for the Canucks prior to the 2007–08 season, when Forsberg was an unrestricted free agent, without any luck. Weighing in on Forsberg's possible NHL return, Näslund speculated that Forsberg would remain in Sweden to continue playing for Modo. Several days later, Canucks general manager

confirmed Näslund's speculation, asserting that Forsberg intended on finishing the season with Modo. The following day, on 17 November 2009, Näslund announced he was coming out of retirement to join Forsberg with Modo for the remainder of the 2009–10 Elitserien season. He explained that while he did not miss playing, both he and Forsberg desired to help their former club out of financial troubles and a last-place standing in the league, facing potential

relegation In sports leagues, promotion and relegation is a process where teams are transferred between multiple divisions based on their performance for the completed season. Leagues that use promotion and relegation systems are often called open leagues. ...

. The announcement crashed the Modo web server as a result of the heavy volume of people visiting the site. As a board member of the club, Näslund said he and Forsberg would play without salary. Näslund played in his first game back with Modo on 28 November, 11 days after the announcement, registering an assist on the first goal of the game by Forsberg. Modo won the game 4–1 over

Rögle BK Rögle BK (Rögle Bandyklubb) is a Swedish professional ice hockey club from Ängelholm that has been playing in the SHL since the 2015–16 season. Rögle has previously played in the SHL (previously named Elitserien) in 1992–1995–96 Elitse ...

. The following match, on 1 December, he registered two assists, setting up the game-tying goal with two seconds remaining in regulation by team captain

Per Svartvadet Per Eric Svartvadet (born May 17, 1975) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player. Svartvadet was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft in the 6th round, as the 139th pick overall. In the summer of 1999 he was traded t ...

and the overtime-winner by Forsberg. He scored his first goal since his return on 8 December in a 4–1 win over

HV71 HV71 (), often referred to as just HV, is a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Jönköping, playing in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the first tier of Swedish ice hockey. The team played in the 2008–09 Champions Hockey League s ...

. On 27 February, he notched a hat-trick against Färjestad BK in a 10–3 win. Playing in 29 of Modo's 55 games, Näslund scored at a point-per-game pace with 10 goals and 19 assists. Ranked last in the league prior to Näslund's return, Modo went on to earn 58 points in the remaining 36 games of the season, but finished one point out of a playoff spot. Näslund confirmed his second retirement following the campaign. At the start of the

2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation (93rd season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals four games to three, being the sixth Cup win in Bruin ...

, the NHL and NHLPA honoured Näslund with a tribute and ceremonial puck drop prior to a game held in

Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropoli ...

, between the San Jose Sharks and

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

. Several months later, the Canucks retired his number 19 jersey prior to a home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on 11 December 2010. Attending the on-ice ceremony were his wife, three children, parents and sister, as well as former Canucks teammates, coaches and executives. The night included a video tribute highlighting his hockey career, speeches from team personalities and gift presentations from the organization. In honour of Näslund and his wife's past philanthropy in the Vancouver community, the team also announced the establishment of a sports equipment centre for underprivileged children. Prior to the jersey raising, Näslund thanked those involved in his career. Reflecting on his career, he commented, "Young hockey players from northern Sweden never dream of a night like this...To go from sitting up in the press box as a healthy scratch to be standing here in front of you is quite amazing." By having his jersey retired, he became the third player in team history to receive the honour, after Stan Smyl and Trevor Linden.

International play

Näslund made his first international appearance for Sweden at the 1989 Four Nations Tournament in the Soviet Union. The following year, he competed in the 1990 European Junior Championships, an under-18 tournament. He went pointless in six games, but helped Sweden to a gold medal finish. He improved the following year with a tournament-leading 14 goals. His 16 points ranked second overall to teammate Peter Forsberg. Sweden failed to defend their gold medal. Näslund continued to play in junior tournaments over the next two years, competing in the

1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...

and 1993 World Junior Championships, where Sweden won back-to-back silver medals. During his first tournament appearance in Germany, he recorded 10 points, ranking third among all players, including a tournament-leading eight goals (tied with four others). Sweden finished second in the tournament's round-robin format to the

Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...

with a record of five wins, one loss and one tie. The following year, Sweden hosted the World Junior tournament in

Gävle Gävle () is a city in Sweden, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County. It had 77,586 inhabitants in 2020, which makes it the 13th most populated city in Sweden. It is the oldest city in the historical Norrland (Swede ...

. Näslund set a competition record for most goals scored in a single year with 13, while playing on a line with Forsberg and

Niklas Sundström Lars Niklas Sundström (born June 6, 1975) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who started his professional career in Modo Hockey. He was drafted eighth overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. He was also on W ...

. His 24 points were second in the tournament behind Forsberg's 31. Although Sweden and Canada finished with identical records of six wins and one loss, Canada was awarded the gold medal by virtue of their 3–2 win against Sweden during round-robin play. Näslund was named along with Forsberg to the Tournament All-Star team. Näslund made his senior international debut later that year at the 1993 World Championships in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

and

Dortmund, Germany Dortmund (; Westphalian nds, Düörpm ; la, Tremonia) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the eighth-largest city of Germany, with a population of 588,250 inhabitants as of 2021. It is the la ...

, where he earned another silver medal with Sweden. He contributed a goal and an assist over eight games. Three years later, he was added to Sweden's roster for the 1996 World Championships in

Vienna, Austria en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, after the Canucks were eliminated in the NHL playoffs. He was pointless while competing in one game, as Sweden failed to medal. Several months later, Näslund competed in the inaugural 1996 World Cup, but was again limited to one game. Sweden reached the semifinal, where they were eliminated by

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. Competing in his third World Championships in 1999, Näslund helped Sweden to a bronze medal with a 10-point effort in 10 games. In 2002, Näslund made his first and only appearance in the Winter Olympics at the 2002 Games in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...

. He scored his first and only two Olympic goals during a 7–1 win against

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. After going undefeated in the round-robin and heralded as medal favourites, Sweden was defeated by

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...

4–3 in the quarterfinal. The loss was widely considered one of the most surprising results in Olympic history, while Näslund described the defeat in a post-game interview as "devastating...for us and our country." He finished the tournament with two goals and an assist over four games, ranking fourth on the team in scoring. Several months later, he participated in his final World Championships in 2002, a tournament Sweden hosted in the cities of

Gothenburg Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...

Karlstad Karlstad (, ) is the 20th-largest city in Sweden, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city proper had 65,856 inhabitants in 2020 with 95,167 inhabitants ...

and

Jönköping Jönköping (, ) is a city in southern Sweden with 112,766 inhabitants (2022). Jönköping is situated on the southern shore of Sweden's second largest lake, Vättern, in the province of Småland. The city is the seat of Jönköping Municipali ...

. He was added to the roster prior to the quarterfinal, following the Canucks' first-round elimination in the NHL playoffs. Sweden was defeated by

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

3–2 in the semifinal. They went on to win their consolation match against

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

5–3 to capture the bronze medal. It was Näslund's second bronze medal in as many tournament appearances; he scored three points in three games. Prior to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Näslund participated in his final international competition at the 2004 World Cup, where he failed to score a goal in four games played. Although he was named to Team Sweden for the

2006 Winter Olympics The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games ( it, XX Giochi olimpici invernali) and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February 2006 in Turin, Italy. This marked the second t ...

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

, Näslund chose not to play due to a groin injury. Sweden went on to win the gold medal, defeating Finland in the final.

Playing style

Näslund was known as a highly skilled offensive player with good skating and puck-handling abilities. The most prominent aspect of his game was his

, which was known to be one of the most accurate in the league and accounted for a large portion of his goals. He also earned many of his points on the powerplay. Regarding his skill level and creativity, his first Canucks head coach, Marc Crawford, heralded him as one of "a handful of players in this game who can take a play where there's nothing...and turn it into a scoring chance". Näslund's prime coincided with the contributing performances of his linemates Bertuzzi and Morrison. His finesse and goal-scoring abilities were complemented by Morrison's playmaking and Bertuzzi's strength and aggression as a power forward. They were known for playing a fast and entertaining style. As a result, head coach Marc Crawford implemented a highly offensive coaching strategy. As captain of the Canucks for eight years, Näslund was a self-professed "leader by example" with his work ethic and play on the ice. He was often criticized by the media and fans in his final few seasons with the Canucks for not being sufficiently vocal or emotional as the team's captain. Former teammates in Vancouver have described him as a quiet leader that spoke when needed nonetheless. They have also commended him for his integrity, professionalism and the caring manner in which he treated everyone in the organization. In particular, fellow Swedes Daniel and Henrik Sedin have singled him out as a player that mentored them early in their NHL career. New York Rangers general manager

reiterated the guiding influence Näslund had on young players coming into the league. These criticisms began especially in light of his decreasing offensive production following the 2004–05 NHL lockout. The decline was often attributed in the media to him becoming more defensively responsible under new Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. Bertuzzi's absence following the 2005–06 season was also seen as a negative factor for Näslund individually. It was further proposed that the physical effects of his concussion, as a result of Steve Moore's hit against him in 2004, as well as the emotional toll of Bertuzzi's subsequent retaliation against Moore strained his playing efficiency.

Management career

Midway through the 2010–11 Elitserien season on 17 December 2010, Näslund was named the general manager of the Modo organization, overseeing all the organization's sports clubs. In his first season with the organization, the hockey club finished last in the Elitserien, six points out of a playoff spot. Facing relegation to the second-tier

HockeyAllsvenskan HockeyAllsvenskan (previously Allsvenskan and SuperAllsvenskan) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league, and the second-highest league in the Sweden, Swedish ice hockey system (after the Swedish Hockey League, SHL). Since the 2009–10 ...

, Modo finished second in the 2011 Kvalserien, retaining their Elitserien status for the 2011–12 season. In the off-season, Näslund was joined by Peter Forsberg on Modo's management team. Forsberg was announced as Modo's assistant manager in April 2011.

Off the ice

Personal

Näslund and his wife Lotta have three children: Rebecca, Isabella, and Alex. During his NHL career, they spent their summers in Sweden. Like Swedes

Nicklas Lidström Erik Nicklas Lidström (; born 28 April 1970) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman and current vice president of hockey operations for the Detroit Red Wings. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detr ...

and his childhood idol, Håkan Loob, Näslund had expressed a desire to raise his children in his homeland Sweden. He made headlines when he first publicly contemplated an early retirement from the NHL to serve those purposes during the 2002–03 season. However, he also considered Vancouver his home and cherished his time spent in the city as a member of the Canucks. Upon being signed by the Rangers, Näslund and his family moved to

Tarrytown, New York Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North ...

. Following his retirement from the NHL in 2009, they returned to Sweden, where Näslund began coaching his son's minor-league hockey team before he became the general manager of Modo. He participated in the construction of a new house in Örnsköldsvik that his family moved into. Markus has also ventured into business as a real estate developer.

Philanthropy

In 2002, Näslund and Forsberg founded

Icebreakers An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters, and provide safe waterways for other boats and ships. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller ...

, an organization that raises money for sick and disabled children in their home region of Västernorrland. A team of Swedish all-stars are annually assembled to host exhibition charity games against varying challengers. In Vancouver, Näslund ran a program called "Nazzy's Suite 19" that gave underprivileged children the opportunity to watch Canucks games from a private suite in

GM Place Rogers Arena is a multi-purpose arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, the arena was known as General Motors Place (GM Place) from its opening until July 6, 2010, when Ge ...

. Game attendees were chosen through local children's charities. The program was later taken over by Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo and renamed "Lui's Crease Club" after Näslund's departure from Vancouver. Along with other Canucks players, Näslund made regular visits to

Canuck Place Arthur R. Griffiths (born 1957) is a Canadian businessperson, philanthropist, and former candidate for political office. He is former owner of the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Grizzlies, and General Motors Place. He chaired the Vancouver/Whistler ...

, a children's hospice that provides specialized care for children with life-threatening illnesses;

BC Children's Hospital British Columbia Children's Hospital is a medical facility located in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority. It specializes in health care for patients from birth to 16 years of age (possibly l ...

; and was a contributor to the Canucks For Kids Fund. He also appeared in a public service announcement with BC Children's Hospital, educating provincial viewers on mental health issues. Following his NHL retirement, he joined the anniversary tour of the NHLPA's Goals and Dreams program, a charity that donates hockey equipment to underprivileged children. Näslund began the tour in Örnsköldsvik before joining former Canucks teammates

Jyrki Lumme Jyrki Olavi Lumme (born July 16, 1966) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and SM-liiga. After beginning his career in Finland, playing with Ilves Tampere for three season ...

and Pavel Bure for stops in

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...

and Moscow, respectively.

Endorsements

At the peak of his career, Näslund signed multiple endorsement deals, most notably with

Nike Bauer Bauer Hockey LLC (renamed Nike Bauer from 2005 to 2008) is a manufacturer of ice hockey equipment, fitness and recreational skates and apparel. Bauer produces helmets, gloves, sticks, skates, shin guards, pants, shoulder pads, elbow pads, hockey ...

and

Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the d ...

(EA). In 2004,

EA Sports EA Sports is a division of Electronic Arts that develops and publishes sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to imitate real-life sports networks by calling themselves the "EA Sports Network" ...

selected Näslund to appear on the cover of ''

NHL 2005 ''NHL 2005'' is an ice hockey video game released in 2004, the successor to ''NHL 2004''. Features Improvements/flaws ''NHL 2005'' features ''Open Ice Control'', including moving players without the puck and also a complete World Cup mode where ...

'', EA's yearly hockey video game. He is also on the European cover of ''

NHL 2000 ''NHL 2000'' is an ice hockey video game developed by Electronic Arts Canada. It was released in 1999 and was the successor to ''NHL 99''. The game did not boast great improvements to the game from ''NHL 99'', nor did ''NHL 2001'' feature any ide ...

''.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

All-Star Games

Awards

Sweden

International

NHL

Vancouver Canucks team awards

Records

International

* World Junior Championships' record; most goals, single tournament: 13 (1993)

Vancouver Canucks

* All-time hat-tricks: 10 (tied with Tony Tanti) * All-time powerplay goals: 114 * Longest tenured captain: 8 years (2000–08) * Single-season points by a left wing: 104 (2002–03) * Single-season goals by a left wing: 48 (2002–03) * Single-game goals: 4 (twice; 14 December 2002 vs. Edmonton Oilers; 9 December 2003 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins; tied with 10 others)

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Naslund, Markus 1973 births Living people Cleveland Lumberjacks players Swedish expatriate ice hockey players in Canada Swedish expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Lester B. Pearson Award winners Modo Hockey players National Hockey League All-Stars National Hockey League first-round draft picks National Hockey League players with retired numbers New York Rangers players Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics Olympic ice hockey players of Sweden People from Örnsköldsvik Municipality Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks Pittsburgh Penguins players Sportspeople from Västernorrland County Swedish ice hockey left wingers Swedish philanthropists Vancouver Canucks captains Vancouver Canucks players

Early life

Playing career

Modo Hockey

Pittsburgh Penguins

Vancouver Canucks

1996–2000: Trade to Vancouver and captaincy

2001–2005 West Coast Express

Post-lockout

New York Rangers

Return to Modo and retirement

International play

Playing style

Management career

Off the ice

Personal

Philanthropy

Endorsements

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

All-Star Games

Awards

Sweden

International

NHL

Vancouver Canucks team awards

Records

International

Vancouver Canucks

See also

Notes

References

External links