Peter Forsberg

Center-forward Peter Forsberg had a highly successful career both internationally and at the club level. Known for his on-ice vision and physical play, Forsberg is considered as one of the most complete players of his generation. During his 13-season stay in the NHL, he stands, as of 2013, eighth all-time in career points-per-game and fifth all-time in career assists-per-game, behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr and Sidney Crosby. During his career in NHL, Forsberg never had a negative plus-minus rating, giving him an overall career rating of +238. Forsberg is also a member of the Triple Gold Club, players who have won a Stanley Cup, a World Championship and an Olympic gold medal and he is the only Swede on the list, as of 2013, who has won each of the three competitions twice.

The son of Kent Forsberg, who was the former coach of MoDo Hockey and the Swedish national team, Forsberg began his career in 1989 with MoDo Hockey, playing with them until 1995. He never won the Swedish title with them, his best finish being a runner-up in 1994, but in 1993 and 1994 he was awarded the Guldpucken award as the best player at the Swedish Championships and the Guldhjälmen award as MVP of the Swedish Championships, voted by the players. He is the only person to be awarded both Guldpucken and Guldhjälmen awards twice.

Forsberg was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL in 1991, but on June 1992 his rights were traded to the Québec Nordiques along with five players, two first-round draft picks and 15 million dollars in exchange for Eric Lindros. The Lindros trade is regarded as one of the most lopsided deals in hockey history, and the deal became a major foundation for the Nordiques/Avalanche franchise’s success over the next decade. Forsberg débuted in the NHL in 1995 during the lockout shortened 1994-95 season. He had a very good rookie season, scoring 50 points (15 goals and 35 assists) in 47 games, won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the rookie-of-the-year and was named to the NHL All-Rookie team. The next season the Nordiques moved and became the Colorado Avalanche and Forsberg was their main force with 86 points (28 goals, 58 assists) during the regular season and 21 points (10 goals, 11 assist) during the playoffs as Colorado/Québec won its first Stanley Cup. The Avalanche won their second Stanley Cup in 2001 and Forsberg had his best NHL season in 2002-03, when he led the league with 106 points (29 goals, 77 assists), for which he was awarded the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP, and the Bud Light Plus/Minus Award. During his stay with the Avalanche, Forsberg was also awarded the Viking award as the best Swede in the NHL in 1996, 1998 and 1999, was selected to the NHL All-Star Game in 1996-01 and 2003, and was named to the NHL All-Star First Team in 1998 and 1999.

During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Forsberg played for MoDo Hockey. He then opted to sign a two-year contract with the Flyers instead of a four-year contract with the Avalanche. In 2006, Forsberg became captain of the Flyers, but was traded to the Nashville Predators at the end of the 2005-06 season. In 2007, Forsberg returned to the Avalanche as a free agent, but played only nine games with them due to a foot injury. From 2008-10 Forsberg played for MoDo Hockey again, before signing a one year contract with the Avalanche in 2010, but he played only two games with them during the 2010-11 season, retiring from hockey in February 2011, citing the foot injury.

Internationally Forsberg played at four Olympic Games (1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010), five World Championships (1992-93, 1998, 2003-04) and at 1996 and 2004 World Cup. He won Olympic golds in 1994 and 2006, World titles in 1992 and 1998 and World Championships silvers in 1993, 2003 and 2004. Forsberg was the top scorer with 11 points and the leading goal scorer at the 1998 World Championships. He was also named as the best forward at the 1998 World Championships. Forsberg was awarded the Stora Grabbars Märke (Big Boys’ Badge) #165 in ice hockey and was elected to the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2013.

After finishing his sporting career, Forsberg worked as general manager of MoDo Hockey. He also owns the Swedish development company named Forspro Company, that co-funded the building of Swedbank Arena, the home arena of MoDo Hockey and Pforce AB, a company that imports and markets Crocs shoes in Sweden. Forsberg is also interested in harness racing, and owns a few racing horses and has invested in the Veckefjärdens Golf Club in his native Örnsköldsvik. With Markus Näslund, he is also the co-founder of Icebreakers, an organization that brings together professional ice hockey players for exhibition games to raise money for charities.