Playing career

Nilsson began his career in 1973-74, playing for Djurgårdens IF during his first of four seasons in Sweden. He then came to North America, and played for the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA beginning in 1977. He scored two consecutive 100-point seasons in the WHA; and his offensive production continued when the league merged with the NHL. He was claimed by the Atlanta Flames, and in his first season with the team he scored 93 points. The next season, 1980-81, the Flames moved to Calgary; Nilsson scored 131 points, which is still the team record, and he came third in NHL scoring.

Nilsson played with the Flames (with number 14) until 1984-85 when he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars for a draft pick that the Flames used to draft Joe Nieuwendyk. Nilsson won his first and only Stanley Cup while playing with the Edmonton Oilers in 1987. He returned to Europe after that season, playing in Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and Norway. In 1988-89 he was named Player of the Year in Sweden. He returned to Edmonton for six games in 1995, which made him the last former Atlanta Flames player to play in the NHL. He then played briefly again in Europe until 1998.

Awards

Medal record
Representing Sweden
Men's ice hockey
European Junior Championships
	1974 Switzerland
	1975 France
World Junior Championships
	1975 Canada & USA
	1980 Finland
Canada Cup
	1984 Canada
World Championships
	1990 Switzerland

• Won Lou Kaplan Trophy (WHA Rookie of the Year) (1978)
• Won Paul Daneau Trophy (WHA Most Gentlemanly Player) (1979)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1980, 1981)
• Member of the Swedish World All-Star Team (1985, 1989, 1990)
• 1986-87 - NHL - Stanley Cup (Edmonton)
• Named Swedish Player of the Year (1989)
• Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2006)
• Inaugural member of the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame (2010)

Records

• Most points scored by a Swedish player in a single NHL season (131 in 1980-81)
• Calgary Flames team record for points in a single season (131 in 1980-81)
• Calgary Flames team record for assists in a single season (82 in 1980-81)
• Calgary Flames team record for shorthanded goals in a single season (9 in 1983-84)
• 6th fastest player in NHL history to score 300 points (215 GP) behind Wayne Gretzky (159), Mario Lemieux (186), Peter Stastny (186), Eric Lindros (210) & Cy Denneny (212)
• 8th fastest player in NHL history to score 400 points (298 GP) behind Wayne Gretzky (197), Mario Lemieux (240), Peter Stastny (247), Eric Lindros (277), Mike Bossy (283), Sidney Crosby (292) & Bryan Trottier (296)
• 9th fastest player in NHL history to score 500 points (372 GP) behind Wayne Gretzky (234), Mario Lemieux (287), Peter Stastny (322), Mike Bossy (349), Eric Lindros (352), Jari Kurri (356), Bryan Trottier (362) & Sidney Crosby (369)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1973-74	Djurgårdens IF	Swe-1		8	1	2	3	4		14	8	6	14	2
1974-75	Djurgårdens IF	Swe-1		28	13	12	25	14		—	—	—	—	—
1975-76	Djurgårdens IF	SEL		36	28	26	54	10		—	—	—	—	—
1976-77	AIK	SEL		36	30	19	49	18		—	—	—	—	—
1977-78	Winnipeg Jets	WHA		80	42	65	107	8		9	2	8	10	10
1978-79	Winnipeg Jets	WHA		78	39	68	107	8		10	3	11	14	4
1979-80	Atlanta Flames	NHL		80	40	53	93	10		4	0	0	0	2
1980-81	Calgary Flames	NHL		80	49	82	131	26		14	3	9	12	2
1981-82	Calgary Flames	NHL		41	26	29	55	8		3	0	3	3	2
1982-83	Calgary Flames	NHL		80	46	58	104	10		9	1	11	12	2
1983-84	Calgary Flames	NHL		67	31	49	80	22		—	—	—	—	—
1984-85	Calgary Flames	NHL		77	37	62	99	14		3	0	1	1	0
1985-86	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		61	16	44	60	10		5	1	4	5	0
1986-87	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		44	13	33	46	12		—	—	—	—	—
1986-87	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		17	5	12	17	4		21	6	13	19	6
1987-88	HC Bolzano	Serie A		35	60	72	132	48		8	14	14	28	—
1987-88	SC Langnau	NDA		2	2	0	2	—		—	—	—	—	—
1988-89	Djurgårdens IF	SEL		35	21	21	42	36		1	0	1	1	0
1989-90	EHC Kloten	NDA		36	21	19	40	—		5	4	5	9	—
1990-91	EHC Kloten	NDA		33	37	39	76	—		8	3	8	11	—
1991-92	EHC Kloten	NDA		17	11	14	25	8		2	0	0	0	2
1992-93	Djurgårdens IF	SEL		40	11	20	31	20		6	2	3	5	0
1993-94	EC Graz	Alpenliga		30	15	33	48	—		—	—	—	—	—
1993-94	EC Graz	AUS		27	8	9	17	—		—	—	—	—	—
1994-95	Vålerengens IF	NOR		6	1	1	2	8		—	—	—	—	—
1994-95	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		6	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1995-96	Nynäshamns IF	Swe-3		2	2	3	5	6		—	—	—	—	—
1997-98	CH Majadahonda	ESP		6	8	12	20	—		2	3	8	11	—
SEL totals				147	90	86	176	84		7	2	4	6	0
WHA totals				158	81	133	214	16		19	5	19	24	14
NHL totals				553	264	422	686	116		59	11	41	52	14

International

Year	Team	Comp		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1974	Sweden	EJC		5	8	7	15	2
1975	Sweden	WJC		6	3	3	6	—
1975	Sweden	EJC		5	5	5	10	0
1976	Sweden	WJC		4	1	3	4	2
1981	Sweden	CC		5	0	2	2	4
1984	Sweden	CC		8	3	8	11	4
1985	Sweden	WC		8	6	5	11	6
1987	Sweden	CC		6	0	4	4	4
1989	Sweden	WC		10	3	11	14	0
1990	Sweden	WC		10	10	2	12	6
Junior totals				20	17	18	35	—
Senior totals				47	22	32	52	24

Family

Nilsson has been married since 2005 to Swedish golfer Helen Alfredsson. He occasionally caddies for her in professional events. He is also the father of Robert Nilsson, a former Edmonton Oilers player, in an earlier marriage.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]