NHL '94 "Game of the Night" Flyers @ Flames "The Story of the (Magic man) Kent Nilsson"

Kent Åke Nilsson (born 31 August 1956) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey centre. He played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Winnipeg Jets, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta and Calgary Flames, Minnesota North Stars and Edmonton Oilers, as well as teams across various European leagues. During his NHL career he was called "Mr. Magic" and "The Magic Man", referring to his exceptional puck skills. Wayne Gretzky commented on Nilsson's skills saying "Skills-wise he might have been the most skilled hockey player I ever saw in my entire career".
Nilsson was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2006, the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in 2010, and the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.
Nilsson began his career during the season of 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 World Hockey Association (WHA) beginning in 1977. He scored two consecutive 100-point seasons in the WHA. 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.
Nilsson played with the Flames, wearing 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.
Nilsson holds the NHL record for the quickest goal scored during a season-opening game, at ten seconds in, while playing for the North Stars versus the Quebec Nordiques on October 11, 1986.

Awards
Medal record
Representing Sweden
Men's ice hockey
European Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1974 Switzerland
Bronze medal – third place 1975 France
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1975 Canada & USA
Bronze medal – third place 1980 Finland
Canada Cup
Silver medal – second place 1984 Canada
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1990 Switzerland
World Hockey Association
Won Lou Kaplan Trophy (WHA Rookie of the Year) (1978)[citation needed]
Won Paul Daneau Trophy (WHA Most Gentlemanly Player) (1979)[citation needed]
1977-78 - WHA - Avco Cup (Winnipeg)[citation needed]
1978-79 - WHA - Avco Cup (Winnipeg)[citation needed]
Inaugural member of the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame (2010)[3]
National Hockey League
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1980, 1981)[citation needed]
1986–87 – NHL – Stanley Cup (Edmonton)[citation needed]
Sweden and International ice hockey
Member of the Swedish World All-Star Team (1985, 1989, 1990)[citation needed]
Named Swedish Player of the Year (1989)[citation needed]
Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2006)[4][5]
Inducted into the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame (2012)[citation needed]
Records
Most points scored by a Swedish player in a single NHL season (131 in 1980–81)[citation needed]
Calgary Flames team record for points in a single season (131 in 1980–81)[citation needed]
Calgary Flames team record for assists in a single season (82 in 1980–81)[citation needed]
Calgary Flames team record for shorthanded goals in a single season (9 in 1983–84)[citation needed]
Post-playing career
In 2006, he was featured on HCZ, a Swedish reality show as coach for a hockey team of non-athletes. After retiring, he worked as a European scout for the Florida Panthers.[citation needed]

Personal life
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, from an earlier marriage.