Niklas Andersson

Not to be confused with Niclas Andersén.

For the ice hockey player born in 1986, see Niklas Andersson (ice hockey, born 1986).

Niklas Andersson
Niklas Andersson playing for Frölunda HC in Italy in August 2005
Born	(1971-05-20) 20 May 1971 Kungälv, Sweden
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Frölunda HC Quebec Nordiques New York Islanders San Jose Sharks Nashville Predators Calgary Flames
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	68th overall, 1989 Quebec Nordiques
Playing career	1987–2011

Niklas Per Andersson (born 20 May 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger. In his career, he spent time with several National Hockey League (NHL) teams as well as various minor professional teams in North America, but mostly played for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien. He is the younger brother of former hockey player Mikael Andersson and the father of Lias Andersson.

Playing career

Andersson was selected in the 4th round (68th overall) of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques, while he was playing in his native Sweden for Västra Frölunda HC. At the age of 20, he left Frölunda to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Nordiques' affiliate, the Halifax Citadels. He played there for two years until the team moved to Cornwall, Ontario. After a year with Cornwall he was signed as a free agent by the New York Islanders, and assigned to their International Hockey League (IHL) club, the Denver Grizzlies (which became the Utah Grizzlies the following year), until being recalled halfway through the 1995–96 season. He finished that year with the Islanders, and played another two before signing with the San Jose Sharks prior to the 1997–98 season.

Andersson spent the following year with two minor clubs, one in the AHL and one in the IHL. He was not re-signed by the Sharks, and instead went to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He never played in the NHL for the Leafs, and was instead sent to the IHL's Chicago Wolves until he traded back to the Islanders on 17 August 1999 for Craig Charron. Partway through the season he was claimed off of waivers by the Nashville Predators and played seven games for them before being placed back on waivers and picked up by the Islanders again. He finished the year with them, playing in 17 games and scoring 10 points.

During the following off season he was signed by the Calgary Flames, but played most of the season in the IHL with the Chicago Wolves again. After that season, he returned to his native Sweden and his old club Frölunda HC, for whom he had been a key player the past nine seasons.

On 9 March 2011, Andersson decided to retire completely from hockey, having played 763 games for Frölunda HC. He is currently an amateur scout covering Europe for the Los Angeles Kings.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1987–88	Västra Frölunda HC	SWE II		15	5	5	10	6		8	6	4	10	4
1988–89	Västra Frölunda HC	SWE II		30	12	24	36	24		10	4	6	10	4
1989–90	Västra Frölunda HC	SEL		38	10	19	29	14		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Västra Frölunda HC	SEL		22	6	10	16	16		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Västra Frölunda HC	Allsv		17	8	15	23	12		10	6	3	9	24
1991–92	Halifax Citadels	AHL		57	8	26	34	41		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Halifax Citadels	AHL		76	32	50	82	42		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		3	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Cornwall Aces	AHL		42	18	34	52	8		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Denver Grizzlies	IHL		66	22	39	61	28		15	8	13	21	10
1995–96	Utah Grizzlies	IHL		30	13	22	35	25		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	New York Islanders	NHL		48	14	12	26	12		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	New York Islanders	NHL		74	12	31	43	57		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Utah Grizzlies	IHL		21	6	20	26	24		4	3	1	4	4
1997–98	Kentucky Thoroughblades	AHL		37	10	28	38	54		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	San Jose Sharks	NHL		5	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Chicago Wolves	IHL		65	17	47	64	49		10	2	2	4	10
1999–2000	Chicago Wolves	IHL		52	20	21	41	59		9	6	1	7	4
1999–2000	New York Islanders	NHL		17	3	7	10	8		—	—	—	—	—
1999–2000	Nashville Predators	NHL		7	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Chicago Wolves	IHL		66	33	39	72	81		16	1	14	15	14
2000–01	Calgary Flames	NHL		11	0	1	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Västra Frölunda HC	SEL		41	14	32	46	64		7	0	2	2	6
2002–03	Västra Frölunda HC	SEL		49	24	18	42	59		15	3	7	10	8
2003–04	Västra Frölunda HC	SEL		46	17	19	36	80		7	1	7	8	2
2004–05	Frölunda HC	SEL		44	14	27	41	16		14	10	3	13	4
2005–06	Frölunda HC	SEL		50	13	38	51	53		17	6	10	16	10
2006–07	Frölunda HC	SEL		51	21	27	48	75		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Frölunda HC	SEL		48	12	37	49	50		7	2	4	6	12
2008–09	Frölunda HC	SEL		52	16	21	37	22		11	3	4	7	10
2009–10	Frölunda HC	SEL		54	15	17	32	50		7	2	3	5	29
2010–11	Frölunda HC	SEL		53	14	30	44	30		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				165	29	53	82	85		—	—	—	—	—
SEL totals				548	176	295	471	529		85	27	40	67	81

International

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing Sweden
World Championships
	1997 Helsinki
	2003 Helsinki
	2004 Prague
	2002 Gothenburg
World Junior Championships
	1989 Anchorage

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1988	Sweden	EJC		6	4	9	13	2
1989	Sweden	EJC		6	6	3	9	8
1989	Sweden	WJC		7	2	0	2	0
1990	Sweden	WJC		7	3	3	6	6
1991	Sweden	CC		6	0	1	1	0
1991	Sweden	WJC		7	5	3	8	8
1996	Sweden	WC		6	1	1	2	8
1996	Sweden	WCH		1	0	0	0	0
1997	Sweden	WC		11	0	2	2	9
2002	Sweden	WC		8	3	2	5	2
2003	Sweden	WC		9	1	5	6	4
2004	Sweden	WC		9	1	1	2	2
Junior totals				33	20	18	38	24
Senior totals				50	6	12	18	24

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database