Thomas Rundqvist starting playing hockey with Färjestads BK in 1978 and won the 1981 Swedish title with them. Rundqvist was drafted by the Montréal Canadiens of the NHL in 1983 and joined the club in 1984, but played only two games with the parent club, spending his only North American season in 1984-85 with the Canadiens AHL affiliate Sherbrooke Canadiens, winning the league and Calder Cup with that year. So Rundqvist returned to Europe after one season and returned to Färjestads BK, playing there until 1993. He won two more Swedish titles with Färjestads in 1986 and 1988 and was awarded the Guldpucken award as the best player at the 1991 Swedish championships. Rundqvist finished his career with VEU Feldkirch in Austria from 1993-98, winning five consecutive Austrian titles with them from 1994-98 and European Champions’ Cup in 1998.
Internationally, Rundqvist was capped 267 times with the Swedish national team, which ranks him, as of 2013, third all-time in games played for a Swedish national. He won Olympic bronzes in 1984 and 1988, was World Champion in 1987 and 1991 and won silvers at the 1986, 1990 and 1993 Worlds. Rundqvist was also a European champion in 1990, won silvers at the 1982, 1986 and 1991 European Championships and bronzes at the 1983 and 1989 European Championships. He was awarded the Stora Grabbars Märke (Big Boys’ Badge) #124 in ice hockey. After finishing his sporting career, Rundqvist worked as a sports director and general manager for Färjestads BK.