Gus Forslund Explained

Position:Right wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:150
Played For:Ottawa Senators
Birth Date:April 25, 1908
Birth Place:Holmsund, Sweden
Death Place:Geraldton, Ontario, Canada
Career Start:1926
Career End:1941

Gustaf Oliver Forslund (April 25, 1908 – August 4, 1962) was a Swedish-born Canadian professional ice hockey right wing player. In the 1932–33 season, he became the first Swedish-born player in the National Hockey League, and played 48 games for the Ottawa Senators. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1926 to 1941, was spent in various minor leagues.

Early life

Gustaf Forslund was born in Holmsund in Västerbotten, Sweden to Lars Anton Forslund and his wife Ida Maria Fällman. When he was still a child, his family moved to Fort William and later Port Arthur, Ontario.

Playing career

First playing professional hockey for the Port Arthur Ports at age 20, he transferred to the Fort William Forts one year later. In 1929 he moved to Minnesota to play for the Duluth Hornets of the American Hockey Association (1926–1942). Playing 48 games for the Ottawa Senators in 1932–33, Forslund became the first Swede to play in the NHL. He scored a total of 13 points, 4 goals and 9 assists.

He went on to play for the Windsor Bulldogs of the International Hockey League (1929–1936) and the Philadelphia Arrows and New Haven Eagles in the Can-Am Hockey League. He ended his career playing in the Thunder Bay Senior League until 1941. In 1939–40, Forslund led the Thunder Bay Senior League with 39 points in 24 games.

After hockey

After retiring, Forslund helped organise youth hockey. After his wife died at 39, he was left to raise their two children alone. He died from a stroke in 1962 when he was 54.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1926–27Port Arthur PortsTBSHL16 1 1 2 2
1927–28Fort William FortsTBSHL19 10 1 11 10
1928–29Fort William FortsTBSHL
1929–30Duluth HornetsAHA48 8 7 15 33
1930–31Duluth HornetsAHA47 18 10 28 30
1931–32Duluth HornetsAHA48 14 13 27 24
1932–33Ottawa SenatorsNHL48 4 9 13 2
1933–34Windsor BulldogsIHL43 8 12 20 12
1934–35Philadelphia ArrowsCan-Am48 20 32 52 15
1935–36New Haven EaglesCan-Am48 16 17 33 26
1936–37Fort William WanderersTBSHL
1937–38Fort William WanderersTBSHL
1938–39Duluth ZephyrsTBSHL11 8 13 21
1938–39Duluth ZephyrsUSHL26 18 13 31 7
1939–40Geraldton Gold MinersTBSHL24 18 21 39 8
1940–41Geraldton Gold MinersTBSHL12 6 3 9 2
AHA totals143 40 30 70 87
NHL totals48 4 9 13 2

External links