Niklas Andersson

Niklas Andersson
Niklas Andersson playing for Frölunda HC in Italy in August 2005
Born (1971-05-20) 20 May 1971 (age 53)
Kungälv, Sweden
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Frölunda HC
Quebec Nordiques
New York Islanders
San Jose Sharks
Nashville Predators
Calgary Flames
National team  Sweden
NHL draft 68th overall, 1989
Quebec Nordiques
Playing career 1987–2011

Niklas Per Andersson (born 20 May 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger. In his career, he spent time with several National Hockey League (NHL) teams as well as various minor professional teams in North America, but mostly played for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien. He is the younger brother of former hockey player Mikael Andersson and the father of Lias Andersson.

Playing career

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Andersson was selected in the 4th round (68th overall) of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques, while he was playing in his native Sweden for Västra Frölunda HC. At the age of 20, he left Frölunda to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Nordiques' affiliate, the Halifax Citadels. He played there for two years until the team moved to Cornwall, Ontario. After a year with Cornwall he was signed as a free agent by the New York Islanders, and assigned to their International Hockey League (IHL) club, the Denver Grizzlies (which became the Utah Grizzlies the following year), until being recalled halfway through the 1995–96 season. He finished that year with the Islanders, and played another two before signing with the San Jose Sharks prior to the 1997–98 season.

Andersson spent the following year with two minor clubs, one in the AHL and one in the IHL. He was not re-signed by the Sharks, and instead went to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He never played in the NHL for the Leafs, and was instead sent to the IHL's Chicago Wolves until he traded back to the Islanders on 17 August 1999 for Craig Charron. Partway through the season he was claimed off of waivers by the Nashville Predators and played seven games for them before being placed back on waivers and picked up by the Islanders again. He finished the year with them, playing in 17 games and scoring 10 points.

During the following off season he was signed by the Calgary Flames, but played most of the season in the IHL with the Chicago Wolves again. After that season, he returned to his native Sweden and his old club Frölunda HC, for whom he had been a key player the past nine seasons.

On 9 March 2011, Andersson decided to retire completely from hockey, having played 763 games for Frölunda HC. He is currently an amateur scout covering Europe for the Los Angeles Kings.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1987–88 Västra Frölunda HC SWE II 15 5 5 10 6 8 6 4 10 4
1988–89 Västra Frölunda HC SWE II 30 12 24 36 24 10 4 6 10 4
1989–90 Västra Frölunda HC SEL 38 10 19 29 14
1990–91 Västra Frölunda HC SEL 22 6 10 16 16
1990–91 Västra Frölunda HC Allsv 17 8 15 23 12 10 6 3 9 24
1991–92 Halifax Citadels AHL 57 8 26 34 41
1992–93 Halifax Citadels AHL 76 32 50 82 42
1992–93 Quebec Nordiques NHL 3 0 1 1 2
1993–94 Cornwall Aces AHL 42 18 34 52 8
1994–95 Denver Grizzlies IHL 66 22 39 61 28 15 8 13 21 10
1995–96 Utah Grizzlies IHL 30 13 22 35 25
1995–96 New York Islanders NHL 48 14 12 26 12
1996–97 New York Islanders NHL 74 12 31 43 57
1997–98 Utah Grizzlies IHL 21 6 20 26 24 4 3 1 4 4
1997–98 Kentucky Thoroughblades AHL 37 10 28 38 54
1997–98 San Jose Sharks NHL 5 0 0 0 2
1998–99 Chicago Wolves IHL 65 17 47 64 49 10 2 2 4 10
1999–2000 Chicago Wolves IHL 52 20 21 41 59 9 6 1 7 4
1999–2000 New York Islanders NHL 17 3 7 10 8
1999–2000 Nashville Predators NHL 7 0 1 1 0
2000–01 Chicago Wolves IHL 66 33 39 72 81 16 1 14 15 14
2000–01 Calgary Flames NHL 11 0 1 1 4
2001–02 Västra Frölunda HC SEL 41 14 32 46 64 7 0 2 2 6
2002–03 Västra Frölunda HC SEL 49 24 18 42 59 15 3 7 10 8
2003–04 Västra Frölunda HC SEL 46 17 19 36 80 7 1 7 8 2
2004–05 Frölunda HC SEL 44 14 27 41 16 14 10 3 13 4
2005–06 Frölunda HC SEL 50 13 38 51 53 17 6 10 16 10
2006–07 Frölunda HC SEL 51 21 27 48 75
2007–08 Frölunda HC SEL 48 12 37 49 50 7 2 4 6 12
2008–09 Frölunda HC SEL 52 16 21 37 22 11 3 4 7 10
2009–10 Frölunda HC SEL 54 15 17 32 50 7 2 3 5 29
2010–11 Frölunda HC SEL 53 14 30 44 30
NHL totals 165 29 53 82 85
SEL totals 548 176 295 471 529 85 27 40 67 81

International

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Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Sweden
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1997 Helsinki
Silver medal – second place 2003 Helsinki
Silver medal – second place 2004 Prague
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Gothenburg
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 1989 Anchorage
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1988 Sweden EJC 6 4 9 13 2
1989 Sweden EJC 6 6 3 9 8
1989 Sweden WJC 7 2 0 2 0
1990 Sweden WJC 7 3 3 6 6
1991 Sweden CC 6 0 1 1 0
1991 Sweden WJC 7 5 3 8 8
1996 Sweden WC 6 1 1 2 8
1996 Sweden WCH 1 0 0 0 0
1997 Sweden WC 11 0 2 2 9
2002 Sweden WC 8 3 2 5 2
2003 Sweden WC 9 1 5 6 4
2004 Sweden WC 9 1 1 2 2
Junior totals 33 20 18 38 24
Senior totals 50 6 12 18 24
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Preceded by Golden Puck
2003
Succeeded by
Preceded by Frölunda HC captains
2008–2009
Succeeded by