Lars-Erik Sjöberg

Lars-Erik "Taxen" Sjöberg (4 May 1944 in Falun, Sweden – 20 October 1987 in Uppsala, Sweden) 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.

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

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
	1969 Sweden
	1970 Sweden
	1973 Soviet Union
	1971 Switzerland

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.[1] 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.[2]

Sjöberg was working as a scout for the New York Rangers when he died of cancer in 1987.[3] To honour him the Rangers each year gives out the Lars-Erik Sjöberg Award to the best rookie in the training camp.[4]

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[5]

References

1. Iihf Directorate Awards And Most Valuable Player
2. "NHL Player Search - Player - Lars-Erik Sjoberg". Legends of Hockey. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
3. "Lars-Erik Sjoberg". The New York Times. 21 October 1987. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
4. "Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award". New York Rangers. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
5. "WHA Hall of Fame Members". Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2013-09-13.

External links

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