Lars-Erik Sjöberg

Lars-Erik Sjöberg
Lars-Erik Sjöberg
Born	4 May 1944; Falun, Sweden
Died	20 October 1987 (aged 43); Uppsala, Sweden
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight	179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb)
Position	Defense
Shot	Left
Played for	Leksands IF; Djurgårdens IF Hockey; Västra Frölunda IF; Winnipeg Jets
National team	Sweden
Playing career	1962–1980
Representing Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships

Lars-Erik "Taxen" Sjöberg (4 May 1944 – 20 October 1987) was a Swedish ice hockey defenceman. He played in Sweden from 1962 to 1974 (Leksands IF 1962–65 and 1967–69, Djurgårdens IF Hockey 1965–67, and Västra Frölunda IF 1969–74), and in North America for the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA and NHL from 1974 to 80.

Sjöberg won the Golden Puck as the Swedish player of the Year in 1968–69 and was named best defenceman at the 1974 World Ice Hockey Championships.^[2] He was the first non-North American born and raised captain in the NHL, wearing the "C" for the Winnipeg Jets during their first season in the NHL. He was nicknamed "The Professor" and "The Little General" while playing for the Jets. Sjöberg captained the Swedish national team at the 1976 Canada Cup.^[3]

Sjöberg was working as a scout for the New York Rangers when he died of cancer in 1987.^[4] To honour him the Rangers each year gives out the Lars-Erik Sjöberg Award to the best rookie in the training camp.^[5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1962–63	Leksands IF	SWE	6	1	0	1	0	—	—	—	—	—
1963–64	Leksands IF	SWE	14	0	2	2	2	7	1	1	2	0
1964–65	Leksands IF	SWE	14	1	2	3	2	14	0	1	1	4
1965–66	Djurgårdens IF	SWE	20	1	3	4	0	3	0	1	1	0
1966–67	Djurgårdens IF	SWE	21	4	7	11	2	3	0	1	1	0
1967–68	Leksands IF	SWE	21	3	3	6	—	7	1	3	4	2
1968–69	Leksands IF	SWE	19	6	2	8	4	7	0	1	1	0
1969–70	Västra Frölunda IF	SWE	14	2	1	3	10	—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Västra Frölunda IF	SWE	13	8	4	12	6	—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Västra Frölunda IF	SWE	27	4	11	15	4	—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Västra Frölunda IF	SWE	14	1	6	7	0	—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Västra Frölunda IF	SWE	41	4	35	39	21	—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Winnipeg Jets	WHA	75	7	53	60	30	—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Winnipeg Jets	WHA	81	5	36	41	12	13	0	5	5	12
1976–77	Winnipeg Jets	WHA	52	2	38	40	31	20	0	6	6	22
1977–78	Winnipeg Jets	WHA	78	11	39	50	72	9	0	9	9	4
1978–79	Winnipeg Jets	WHA	9	0	3	3	2	10	1	2	3	4
1979–80	Winnipeg Jets	NHL	79	7	27	34	48	—	—	—	—	—
SWE totals			224	35	76	111	51	41	2	8	10	6
WHA totals			295	25	169	194	147	52	1	22	23	42

International

Year	Team	Event	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1968	Sweden	OLY	7	0	0	0	4
1969	Sweden	WC	9	3	2	5	2
1970	Sweden	WC	10	1	1	2	0
1972	Sweden	OLY	6	1	1	2	2
1972	Sweden	WC	10	1	1	2	0
1973	Sweden	WC	10	1	2	3	2
1974	Sweden	WC	9	1	0	1	2
1976	Sweden	CC	5	0	3	3	6
Senior totals			66	8	10	18	18

Awards and achievements

Swedish Player of the Year (1969)
World Championship All-Star Team (1974)
Named Best Defenseman at World Championship (1974)
Played in the Canada Cup (1976)
Avco Cup (WHA) Championships (1976, 1978, 1979)
WHA First All-Star Team (1978)
Dennis A. Murphy Trophy Winner (1978)
"Honoured Member" of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
Inaugural member of the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lars-Eric Sjöberg. Swedish Olympic Committee
^ Iihf Directorate Awards And Most Valuable Player. hockeycanada.ca
^ "NHL Player Search – Player – Lars-Erik Sjoberg". Legends of Hockey. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
^ "Lars-Erik Sjoberg". The New York Times. 21 October 1987. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
^ "Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award". New York Rangers. Archived from the original on 30 January 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
^ "WHA Hall of Fame Members". Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2013.

External links

Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Barry Long	Winnipeg Jets captain 1979–80	Succeeded by Morris Lukowich
Preceded by Dan Johnson	Winnipeg Jets captain 1975–78	Succeeded by Barry Long
Preceded by Leif Holmqvist	Golden Puck 1969	Succeeded by Leif Holmqvist