Mats Näslund

In 1994, along with Tomas Jonsson and Håkan Loob, Mats Näslund became one of first three members of the Triple Gold Club, players who have won a Stanley Cup, a World Championship and an Olympic Gold medal. A left winger, Näslund started his career in 1975 with Timrå IK and played there until 1978. He played with Brynäs IF from 1978-82 and won the Swedish title with them in 1980, the same year he was awarded the Goldpucken Award as the best player at the Swedish Championship. Näslund had been drafted by Montréal Canadiens in 1979 and joined the club in 1982. Näslund had eight successful seasons with Canadiens, playing 617 regular season and 97 play-off games with them and scoring 612 points in regular season games and 91 points in play-off games. As of 2013, Näslund still ranks 12th on the Canadiens all-time scoring list, and he won the Stanley Cup with them in 1986, won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1988, won the Viking Award as the best Swedish player in the NHL in 1985 and 1986, was selected to the NHL All-Star Game in 1984, 1986, 1988 and 1989, and was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1983.

In 1990, Näslund left the Canadiens and returned to Europe. He played one season with HC Lugano in Switzerland, before returning to Sweden and playing with Malmö IF from 1991-94. With Malmö, Näslund won Swedish titles in 1992 and 1994. Näslund returned to the NHL in the lockout shortened 1994-95 season, playing with the Boston Bruins, but he retired at the end of that season.

Internationally, Näslund was capped 170 times with the Swedish national team. He won an Olympic gold in 1994 and bronze in 1980 and World Championship gold in 1991, silver in 1981 and bronze in 1979. He was also the runner-up at the 1984 Canada Cup and won silver at the 1981, 1982 and 1991 European Championships and bronzes at the 1979 and 1983 European Championships. After retiring from hockey, Näslund distanced himself from hockey, saying he was involved with hockey for so many years that he tired of the game. Instead he worked as a part-time carpenter in Malmö, although he had a stint with hockey in 2006, when he was the general manager of the 2006 Swedish Olympic team that won the gold medal. He was awarded the Stora Grabbars Märke (Big Boys’ Badge) #109 in ice hockey and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2005.