Johan Hedberg
| Johan Hedberg | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
May 5, 1973 Leksand, SWE | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
New Jersey Devils Pittsburgh Penguins Vancouver Canucks Dallas Stars Atlanta Thrashers Leksands IF (SEL) | ||
| National team |
 Sweden | ||
| NHL draft |
218th overall, 1994 Philadelphia Flyers | ||
| Playing career | 1993–present | ||
Johan "Moose" Hedberg (born May 5, 1973) is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Hedberg was drafted in the ninth round, 218th overall, in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. Before signing in Atlanta in 2006, Hedberg played for the Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has also played for other clubs: Leksands IF (Sweden), Baton Rouge Kingfish (ECHL), Detroit Vipers (IHL), Manitoba Moose (IHL/AHL), Kentucky Thoroughblades (AHL)
Hedberg's nickname is "Moose"[1] or rarely but more preferably "Jo-Jo", pronounced yo-yo. When he played for Pittsburgh, the home crowds would cheer for him after a spectacular save by yelling "Mooooose". This was often heard incorrectly as a boo. Fans quickly nicknamed him "Moose" out of necessity - Hedberg started a game in Pittsburgh on late notice and as a result was still wearing his customized Manitoba Moose helmet which, not surprisingly, had a large moose painted across it.
On December 26, 2005, Hedberg recorded two assists in a game against the St. Louis Blues. This is the first time a Dallas Stars goalie has ever accomplished this feat, and the first time any goalie in the NHL has done it since Patrick Roy on December 29, 2000. One assist came from a pass that met Stars Captain Mike Modano at the Blues' blue line, granting him a 1-on-1 opportunity.
Hedberg signed a two year contract with Atlanta in July 2006, and served as backup for starter Kari Lehtonen during the first year of that contract. With a long term injury that hindered Lehtonen during the 2007-08 season, Hedberg took over as Atlanta's starting goaltender for much of the season.
On June 16, 2008, Hedberg signed a multi-year contract extension with the Thrashers. During the season of 2009-10 he shared time with Ondrej Pavelec as the primary starter after Lehtonen missed most of the season and was then traded. Despite Hedberg's good performance he and the Thrashers parted ways after the season.
On July 1, 2010 Johan Hedberg signed a one year deal with the New Jersey Devils, which included a no-trade clause.
References
- ^ Schwartz, Adam (2008-03-17). "What's In A Name?". NHL.com. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
External links
- 1973 births
- Atlanta Thrashers players
- Baton Rouge Kingfish players
- Dallas Stars players
- Detroit Vipers players
- Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
- Kentucky Thoroughblades players
- Leksands IF players
- Living people
- Manitoba Moose players
- Manitoba Moose (IHL) players
- New Jersey Devils players
- Olympic ice hockey players of Sweden
- People from Leksand Municipality
- Philadelphia Flyers draft picks
- Pittsburgh Penguins players
- Swedish ice hockey goaltenders
- Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Canada
- Swedish expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Vancouver Canucks players