Patrik Sundström Explained

Patrik Sundström
Birth Date:14 December 1961
Birth Place:Skellefteå, Sweden
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:205
Position:Centre
Shoots:Left
Played For:IF Björklöven
Vancouver Canucks
New Jersey Devils
Ntl Team:SWE
Draft:175th overall
Draft Year:1980
Draft Team:Vancouver Canucks
Career Start:1982
Career End:1992

Olof Patric Waldemar Sundström (born 14 December 1961) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 10 seasons.

Playing career

Sundström was drafted 175th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.

One of the best players developed by IF Björklöven in Umeå, with whom he played for three full seasons, in 1982 he headed overseas to play in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks.[1] Sundström played in Vancouver for five seasons before being traded to the New Jersey Devils on September 15, 1987 for Kirk McLean, Greg Adams and New Jersey's second round choice (Leif Rohlin) in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, where he played another five seasons.[2] [1]

On April 22, 1988, Sundström set a Stanley Cup playoffs record (since tied by Mario Lemieux)[3] by recording eight points (three goals and five assists) in New Jersey's 10-4 victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of the Patrick Division Final. This broke the previous record of seven points, recorded on three occasions by Wayne Gretzky while with the Edmonton Oilers.[4] [5]

After leaving the NHL in 1992, he returned to Sweden to play the 1992-1993 season for Björklöven[1] and was a contributing factor to them being promoted back to the Swedish Elite League (SEL) in 1993.

Sundström scored a total of 588 points (219 goals, 369 assists) in 679 regular season NHL games[1] and 86 points (41 goals, 45 assists) in 115 games in the SEL.

Sundström represented Sweden at the 1980 and 1982 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He also represented Sweden in 31 official "caps" including the 1981, 1982 World Ice Hockey Championships, the 1981 and the 1984 Canada Cups.

At present, he works with youth ice hockey in Umeå.

He is the father of former New Jersey Devils prospect Alexander Sundström, and twin brother of Peter Sundström who also played in the NHL. His father, Elon Sundström, and uncle, Kjell Sundström, both played ice hockey at the highest level in Sweden.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1978–79IF BjörklövenSEL10000
1979–80IF BjörklövenSEL2657122031014
1980–81IF BjörklövenSEL3610182830
1981–82IF BjörklövenSEL362213353873476
1982–83Vancouver CanucksNHL742323463040002
1983–84Vancouver CanucksNHL783853913740117
1984–85Vancouver CanucksNHL7125436846
1985–86Vancouver CanucksNHL791848662831010
1986–87Vancouver CanucksNHL7229427140
1987–88New Jersey DevilsNHL7815365142187132014
1988–89New Jersey DevilsNHL6528416936
1989–90New Jersey DevilsNHL742749763461342
1990–91New Jersey DevilsNHL711531464820000
1991–92New Jersey DevilsNHL171348
1991–92Utica DevilsAHL10000
1992–93IF BjörklövenSWE II3616213746935810
1993–94IF BjörklövenSEL16471114
NHL totals679219369588349379172625
SEL totals1154145861021044810

International

YearTeamEvent GPGAPtsPIM
1980SwedenWJC50114
1981SwedenWJC57078
1981SwedenWC74042
1981SwedenCC50224
1982SwedenWC105278
1984SwedenCC81676
Junior totals1071812
Senior totals3010102020

Awards

International
Sweden

Records

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Patrik Sundstrom, Statistics. NHL.com. 23 April 2013.
  2. Web site: Patrik Sundstrom, Transactions. Hockey-Reference.com. 23 April 2013.
  3. Web site: Individual Stanley Cup Playoff Records, Most Points Scored In A Playoff Game. nhl.com. 23 April 2013.
  4. Book: The Edmonton Oilers. 2003. McFarland. 978-0786412525. Gaschnitz, K. Michael.
  5. Book: The Edmonton Oilers. 28 April 2013. Gaschnitz, K. Michael. 11 September 2015. 246, Most Points One Playoff Game. 9780786455461.