Pelle Prestberg

Pelle Per-Erik Lennart Prestberg (born February 5, 1975 in Munkfors, Sweden) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player.

Pelle Prestberg
Pelle Prestberg during a friendly game in August 2011 berween Leksands IF and Bofors IK in Bolidenhallen in Hedemora
Born (1975-02-05) February 5, 1975
Munkfors, SWE
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 171 lb (78 kg; 12 st 3 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for Färjestads BK
Västra Frölunda HC
Leksands IF
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft 233rd overall, 1998
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Playing career 1997–2014

Career

Prestberg played for several minor leagues clubs in Sweden before he was signed by Färjestads BK in 1997. He was very successful in his first year with Färjestad; in 45 games he scored 29 goals and 15 assists, which still is the record for a rookie in the Swedish Elite League (Elitserien) for points and goals. In the playoffs the success continued and Prestberg scored 9 goals and 2 assists in 11 games to help Färjestad win the Swedish Championship. In the end of the season, Prestberg also made his debut in the Swedish national team. He was also drafted after the season, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 9th round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft as the 233rd pick overall. In his second season with Färjestad he did not score as much points as in his debut-season, but 33 points in 48 games was still a good season for Prestberg.

In his third season he only got 22 points and after that season he signed with Färjestad's rival Västra Frölunda HC. He stayed with Frölunda for two years, but he did not have the same success as he had in Färjestad, and in the summer of 2002 he therefore moved back to Färjestad. But his comeback season was not good; he scored only 12 goals and a total of 18 points in 45 games. But the next season he showed both the club and the fans that he still was a good goal-scorer. He scored 22 goals and a total of 45 points, winning Färjestad's scoring league that year. But that did not help Färjestad who lost in the final of the playoffs for the second year in a row. Also the next year Färjestad finished second. But in the 2005–06 season, Prestberg and Färjestad won the gold after they defeated his former club Frölunda HC in the finals. Before the 2008–09 season, Färjestad chose not to renew Prestberg's contract.[1]

After being denied an extended contract with Färjestad, he signed with Leksands IF to help them back to Elitserien. He stayed with the team for two years, but in neither of these years Leksand managed to promote back to Elitserien. Prior to the 2010–11 season, Prestberg signed with Färjestad to return to his former team. Prestberg scored 10 goals and 36 points in 48 games, and his team reached the final, where they won gold again. On April 18, 2011, Prestberg signed to return to Leksand. When Leksand took the step up to SHL the decided not to give Prestberg any new contract. On October 24, 2011 Prestberg once again returned to Färjestad BK on a one-month-long contract.[2]

Prestberg played with Jörgen Jönsson (center) and Peter Nordström (left wing) in Färjestad's first line, called Jönssonligan, named after the Swedish film.

On February 11, 2014, Prestberg officially announced his retirement due to a reappearing old hipinjury.[3]

Career statistics
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1997–98 Färjestads BK Elitserien 45 29 15 44 27 12 9 2 11 8
1998–99 Färjestads BK Elitserien 48 18 15 33 28 4 0 1 1 4
1999–00 Färjestads BK Elitserien 48 13 9 22 26 7 1 1 2 18
2000–01 Västra Frölunda HC Elitserien 50 14 9 23 18 5 0 0 0 0
2001–02 Västra Frölunda HC Elitserien 50 14 11 25 28 10 5 0 5 12
2002–03 Färjestads BK Elitserien 45 12 6 18 26 14 5 1 6 8
2003–04 Färjestads BK Elitserien 50 22 23 45 50 12 2 1 3 2
2004–05 Färjestads BK Elitserien 49 21 14 35 48 15 3 2 5 12
2005–06 Färjestads BK Elitserien 44 10 10 20 26 18 5 8 13 8
2006–07 Färjestads BK Elitserien 54 19 29 48 38 8 3 3 6 16
2007–08 Färjestads BK Elitserien 54 26 12 38 34 11 2 2 4 12
2008–09 Leksands IF Swe-1 39 30 31 61 47 — — — — —
Elitserien totals 537 198 153 351 344 116 35 21 56 100

References
  1. Inget nytt kontrakt för Söderström, Färjestad BK, 2010-09-11 (in Swedish)
  2. , Färjestad BK, 2013-10-24 (in Swedish)
  3. http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/hockey/article18342161.ab Prestberg retires (Swedish)
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