The Forgotten Flames Superstar: The Story of Kent Nilsson

Wayne Gretzky once called Kent Nilsson the most talented player in the NHL.
Nicknamed “The Magic Man” Nilsson scored 658 points in just 553 NHL games. He still holds the Calgary Flames all-time single season points record with 139. And he was a key factor in the Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup win in 1987.
So why is this dazzling virtuoso almost never mentioned among his generation’s greatest players?
Let’s find out with this look back at Kenta Nilsson, the Calgary Flames forgotten superstar.
#calgaryflames. #kentnilsson #kentanilsson
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Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for Fair Use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and more. No copyright infringement intended.
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[@dsjoakim35]

When Forsberg scored his famous shootout goal in the 1994 olympic final the Swedish annonsers shouted "He does a Kent Nilsson goal!" He invented that move.

[@That90sShow]

Mario Lemieux did it before Forsberg did too

[@dsjoakim35]

@@That90sShow I'm sure he did. There was nothing he couldnt do. Biggest talent ever imo.

[@jyhina]

@@That90sShow he literally said that Kent Nilsson invented the move

[@dick-gs9tb]

Classic goal, scored against the U.S. in the 1989 World Championships: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6DFcp-wramXjsU

[@TheKaffin8ed]

Cool insight! Did not know.

[@misguidedangel6550]

So underrated. Many of us haven't forgotten about Kent Nilsson, he was one of the top 5-6 players in the NHL for several years with Gretzky, Dionne, Trottier, Lafleur and Bossy,

[@xTheFly]

I bumped into Kent Nilsson about a decade ago or more. In Rexall Place in Edmonton. I said "Magic Man can I get an autograph?" He reached into his jacket to get a pen... he didn't have a pen. He apologized and we shook hands. This was during a rookie camp and no one was in the area where I saw him. Was a very cool moment. I'm glad I met him.

[@hassetagesson6811]

Kent wanted to have fun and never understood why someone would want to defend when you could score goals. The goalie in the Swedish National Team in the 1980's, Peter Lindmark, once summed it all up: "He is a genius with the stick and the puck, but every time he crosses defensive blue, you wanna shot him".

[@melinaljung8105]

Do you mean Pelle Lindbergh? Peter Lindmark didn’t join the team until 1981, and in 1980 Pelle Lindbergh was the goalie.

[@mosesbacke2311]

@@melinaljung8105 I wrote in the 1980's. I meant the decade, the 80's. And it was Peter "Pekka" Lindmark that said it.

[@yannsaint-germain4527]

Kent Nilsson reminds me of Alexei Kovalev - a magician on ice, yet lacking at times the appropriate drive to reach a higher level in his play. However, his contribution to both the WHA & NHL was very entertaining.

[@rd9793]

Kovalev came to my mind immediately.

[@LordStanley94]

I can see the similarities with Alexei. He also kind of reminds me of Teemu Selanne, a little. Effortless skater. That glide!

[@Unclemoparman]

Kovalev 😂

[@dzanier]

In the NHL Kent Nilsson had a 131 pt season, an 80 pt season, a 104 pt season, a 99 pt season, an 80 pt season and a season where he scored 55 points in 41 games. He was well over a point a game player in his brief NHL career, 686 points in 553 games. He scored over a point a game in every year but one. Kovalev scored 1.029 points in 1,316 games. Now I know Alex played in a different era, and there are a few similarities, but Nilsson was never as indifferent as Alex seemed to be at times, and never as hard-headed and stubborn as Alex. That Alex never had a fifty-goal or one-hundred point season, given his skill level, was embarrassing.

[@yannsaint-germain4527]

@@dzanier I said he reminds me of Kovalev in certain respects. I never said they were identical players.

[@glenw-xm5zf]

Nilsson was truly magic. I was happy Oilers picked him up and they took a cup that year

[@richardwebb8203]

One of my favourite players, saw him play many times in Calgary. Pure Talent and so much fun to watch. Thanks for sharing this

[@user-mv6he6gl8m]

Remembering a special goal he did from behind the goalie. He flipped the puck onto the blade and then threw it in from behind. The defenders went mad but as I remember it it was legit. Pure Magic.

[@pedroxdev]

My father (of similar age as Kent) grew up in the house next door to his in Ösmo. And he says you always saw Kent, every day, outside on the yard practising his shots. I ran into him several times as a kid, and you always kind of stared at him. And he was always nice and said hello and such.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Nice thoughts ⭐️thanks

[@annoyingjake]

My first thought when I saw the title of this video was literally, "Kent Nilsson! I totally forgot about him..." He must have been exceptionally disinterested in defending to have gained that reputation in the 1980's. In any case, he certainly earned high praise from some of the greats from that era. Kent Nillson deserves to be remembered. Thanks for reminding us!

[@dzanier]

He was. That’s one of the reasons Bob Johnson traded him to Calgary after the 84-85 season.

[@robertelg1797]

Such a great comment. You did not have clue a but nothing and you comment about that. You seems to be fine. And u still have an opinion - and we like that.

[@misguidedangel6550]

@@dzanier your comment makes no sense, he was never traded to Calgary

[@jimbombadill]

a true artist...its not always easy for them to fit in

[@mathiasjonsson8222]

Kent was the local hero where I grew up in Sweden. Not really a big hockey fan myself but he was fun to watch.

[@MrDeceptacon88]

Youre not much of a sweede then

[@mathiasjonsson8222]

@@MrDeceptacon88 😂

[@HeavySig]

Kent was one of the best offensive players in the game in the high scoring '80s and a blast to watch, even from an Edmonton perspective. In his 1987 season playing for Edmonton, Nilsson, Messier and Anderson was arguably the best second line ever in NHL history. Like several Euro players, he was accused of not caring about the NHL playoffs (which are a marathon grind) as much as the springtime world championships (where countries teams often consisted of players out of the NHL playoffs).

[@MonkeyBusinessMan]

As a Djurgården fan he was my idol growing up. In a book about the club there’s a chapter on him and if I remember correctly there’s a quote about him that ”he’s equally dangerous at both ends” or something like that. Don’t remember who said it though. Amazing player with a happy-go-lucky attitude to life and to the sport. He still shows up every now and then at the Djurgården games.

[@SwedeOfEnbound]

That was the most fantastic attempt of pronouncing Nynäshamn I've ever heard. In fact, the only time, but still, fantastic. I mean it. It was wonderful! Now I'm gonna continue watching the vid. C ya!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

did my best with Google translate!

[@SwedeOfEnbound]

@@ProHockeyAlumni that's great! And good vid, thanks for it!

[@kosmicwizard]

Can you do Loob next?

[@OttawaNow]

"When He Wants To Be" is what will get him inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He didn't want to carry the whole team on his back. He didn't want to be a superstar. He wanted other players to pull their weight.

[@alyssinwilliams4570]

Unfortunately, Nilsson was traded from the Flames before I was watching them (heck, I wasnt even 10 yet!) but I've seen a lot of replays and highlights over the years. Just wow. Also, another just wow - hearing Wayne Gretzky say that Nilsson was the most talented player he'd ever seen. O__O

[@billybobking200]

Your are the only media talking about the players that we forget. Thank you.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks again BBK ... Gotta keep the legacy alive!

[@craigfazekas3923]

Kent Nilsson remembers Ron Hextall, I'm pretty sure..... 🚬😎

[@brethetvlogs]

Legend!

[@WarioSaysSo]

"Mr. Magic" Kent Nilsson was truly indeed an ARTIST on the ice. The way he could handle a stick skillfully at high speed with the puck and score points was on a rare level. He had an awesome tallent...but sadly he was not playing well defense hockey and that "drive" at all cost was something he did not have on the same level as other greats, something he have even admited himself by his own words he felt he never really manage do develop and could understand fans/critics frustration. Regardless, he won a lot of league championship titles and is described as "The Champion of 6 Countries/Leagues" # WHA = 2-time Avco Cup Champion - 1978 & 1979. # NHL = Stanley Cup Champion - 1987. # Sweden = Swedish Elitserien Champion "SM-Guld" - 1989. # Swizerland = Swiz National League Champion - 1988. # Italy = Italian Serie-A League Champion - 1988. # Spain = Super Liiga Espanola League Champion - 1998. # IIHF World Championship silver medalist - 1990. # Canada Cup silver medalist - 1984. # Canada Cup bronze medalist - 1987. # IIHF European Championship gold medalist - 1990. # IIHF European Championship bronze medalist - 1989. # Lou Kaplan Trophy (WHA Rookie of the Year) - 1978. # Paul Daneau Trophy (WHA Most Gentlemanly Player) 1979. # Guld Pucken (Swedish MVP of the Year) - 1989. # Swedish Elitserien League Scoring Champion - 1976. # Italian Serie-A League MVP - 1988. # Italian Serie-A League Scoring Champion - 1988. # Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame - 2006. # Most points scored by a Swedish born player in a single NHL season (131 in 1980-81). # Calgary Flames team record for points in a single season (131 in 1980-81). # Calgary Flames team record for assists in a single season (82 in 1980-81). # Calgary Flames team record for shorthanded goals in a single season (9 in 1983-84). # # SPA totals: 6 games, 8 goals, 12 assists = 20 / 2 games, 3 goals, 8 assists = 11. # ITA totals: 35 games, 60 goals, 72 assists = 132 / 8 games, 14 goals, 14 assists = 28. # SNL totals: 88 games, 71 goals, 72 assists = 143 / 15 games, 7 goals, 13 assists = 20. # SEL totals: 147 games, 90 games, 86 assists = 176 / 7 games, 2 goals, 4 assists = 6. # WHA totals: 158 games, 81 goals, 133 assists = 214 / 19 games, 5 goals, 19 assists = 24. # NHL totals: 553 games, 264 goals, 422 assists = 686 / 59 games, 11 goals, 41 assists = 52. # Internationals: 47 games, 22 goals, 32 assists = 52.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

great assessment! THX!

[@WarioSaysSo]

@@ProHockeyAlumni Thank you for doing the video! It is nice to see Nilsson getting some coverage considering he had a very interesting career and greatly skilled.

[@craigusselman546]

Wayne Gretzky loved playing against Kent. Said he was an incredible talent

[@WarioSaysSo]

@@craigusselman546 Yeah that was some great praise from a prime Gretzky !!!

[@martinrobert8490]

Again a home run i have forgot this player thank you to put him on the map again he was a great talent.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks, MR ... he sure was!

[@tommylagebro6865]

Magicman from Djurgården. Amazing player 💛❤️💙

[@sportsfix6975]

Nice to see Dale Hawerchuk snippet (R.I.P.) BTW A giant bronze statue of Dale is being revealed in Winnipeg this Aug (2022) at the Scotiabank building downtown...

[@tomgriffin7019]

That’s cool!

[@Classicrocker6119]

Kent Nilsson made it enjoyable here in Calgary to be a Flames fan during their first season. Especially love the footage of the old Stampede Corral. The Flames filled the oppositions net quite often that season. One televised game I recall watching was when the Flames massacred the Islanders at the Corral. The score may have been 11-3! Maybe Kent didn’t have a lot of playoff success but he deserves a lot of credit in creating excitement and interest in the Flames during their early seasons in Calgary. The decision made by the Winnipeg Jets GM John Ferguson to protect defenceman Scott Campbell in the 1979 Expansion Draft came back to haunt the franchise. Campbell got injured early in the 1979-80 and was never able to recover. The Jets suffered badly during their first two seasons in the NHL. The silver lining was they were able to draft Dale Hawerchuk first overall in 1981.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

as always, strong comment ... i always learn something new ..,.THX!

[@footballlover1677]

I remember this vividly - the game score was 11-4, and Nilsson had 5 points. this was the worst beating laid on the Islanders over their 4-year Stanley Cup run. It was a complete hammer job.

[@GUISNIP]

He was Magic. Sure, he was the type of gifted forward who was a liability on defense, but he got his name on the Cup in a great post-season and put up amazing numbers while helping solidify the presence of top European players into the NHL.

[@azynkron]

He's deffo not forgotten.

[@HockeyCardPro13]

Great video, so many underrated players from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

[@quincee3376]

Great video!!!

[@barwaz10]

I was privilaged to see Kent play in Winnipeg with the Jets of the WHA. He was Magic even at that young age.

[@timothywiebe4714]

Played in very dull, loose skates; and he would practice passing to himself with his stick and skates while skating creatively. Fantastic hockey player with iconic talent

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

interesting ... thx!

[@diggsfather]

when he wanted to

[@bonzotalonzo9072]

wow the Hawks Phil Russell. Now that's another name I forgot. This channel is great it gives me many NHL & AHL flashbacks w/o drinking. Happy Holiday to all from Philippines..... 😇

[@TheKaffin8ed]

Cool insight. I had only heard of Kent Nilsson through the NHL player interviews. After seeking out clips of him playing, I can see why he was so highly regarded. He skated and handled the puck almost at ease. And that goal at 7:00 is what Pavel Datsyuk did years later. Wish there were more highlights of him.

[@henriklekbergosterman2807]

I thoroughly believe that if Nilsson had any kind of aspiration and drive to be the best he could be rather than just doing it for the pure love of the game we would be talking about him with the same reverance as we do Gretzky and Lemieux.

[@DanielH874]

Another superb video. Well done.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks … I appreciate it … glad you enjoyed it!

[@robertlindstrom6377]

When he came back to Sweden and played for my beloved Djurgården, and Tre Kronor (the national team), you could see he was so far ahead of everyone else thought wise. Great passes got wasted because team mates didn't read the game as quickly and unorthodox as he did, so he had to adapt his play.

[@PalCabral]

Awesome player!

[@pittsky]

I went to dinner with Kent Nilsson in Calgary. My dad won it in a auction. really nice man. I naively asked him why they didn't body check Gretzky more. He said they couldn't catch them.

[@hebber1961]

Nilsson didn't want to catch anyone. He was doing circles away from the boards. I believe the word was out to lay off Gretzky after what happened to Orr. There's plenty of times he could have been laid out but wasn't. The one Leaf who did, never played again. Some like to say they were scared of Semenko etc and that's not true with guys at that level. Nilsson types would be scared but not regular or tough guys that want to win. It was an unwritten rule to lay off him. One buddy I know who wasn't a Flames fan was at a game near ice level and a player had Gretzky lined up to flatten into boards, looked up and saw who it was. He said his eyes got huge and he looped away from him.

[@jimbombadill]

@@hebber1961 kind of prove what i always thought...that if that wasnt a thing and gretzky would have played in the clutch and grab era he wouldnt have done as well as Forsberg.

[@miskwaad]

And if you see other player's comments, to paraphrase one "it was like checking a piece of rope, you never got a clean shot at him because he was so shifty." The league was clutch and grab when he played, just not as bad as in the post 95 era. He was almost 30% higher than the previous record so many have to bring him down because they don't understand his skill. They just can't comprehend it. Bill Clement said it was like we were still using typewriters and he was a computer. So, people had to say things like "Trottier was better two ways" in order to try and bring him down; Fischler did the same thing comparing Potvin and Orr saying Potvin was better because he played more defense. Uh, yeah. Ok. Gretzky was highly maneuverable, could turn on a dime and stickhandle at full speed. I once saw him get the puck inside the blue line, skate to the outside followed by the checker, turn INSIDE on him, put the puck under his stick, then jump the stick , skate across the face of the net and shoot a slapshot to score. Other teams threw everything at him in his prime but he was just that good.

[@filipnassen9076]

”Kenta” is far from forgotten in Sweden, I tell you that much.

[@stevenbauer4799]

the magic man. lanny once scored 67 goals-a flames record-playing on his rw. too bad nilsson, just like the flames, were overshadowed by gretz and oil in the 80's. magic man kent was also the last active atlanta flame when he retired in 1995..

[@waynejohanson1083]

It was 66 goals.

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@waynejohanson1083 ok mr. perfect.

[@davehall6939]

66 goals bud

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@davehall6939 kiss my butt 66 times bud.

[@tracejohnson5519]

I remember a between period filmed segment where Dave Hodge from Hockey Night in Canada asked him how many shots he would need to hit the crossbar from center ice. He said 3 but did it on his first try.

[@jackoblllllllll]

Wasn’t that Kenny Linseman?

[@kjmalone17]

Yep!! Remember that!!

[@navbuoy]

I recall it was Don Cherry taunting him to give it go...and what I took away from it as a young kid was how humble Kent was throughout.

[@tomgriffin7019]

Hahaha what are you guys talking about? Didn’t you actually watch the video?

[@jasondashney]

Welcome to KZbin. I often see comments by people angry that something wasn't in the video that very clearly was, and prominently. People are idiots. Edit: Holy crap, the comments are full of people talking about stuff that's in the damn video. One commenter said "I think it was Gretsky who said that Kent was the most skilled player he ever saw". Thanks, tips. It's in the damn video and by the way, you spelled the name wrong.

[@OttawaNow]

Harry Nilsson should be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and Kent Nilsson should be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. No relation.

[@maxrcrypto]

10th all time in points per game? That would make him pretty under rated

[@timburr4453]

He was in fact one of the most talented players of all time. during the 80s he was right up there with Stastny...Savard. Nobody was in Gretzky's class but Nilsson was in that 2nd tier. I think people felt that maybe he was lacking in that consistant passion and intensity and sometimes you felt he could be even better. He scored 130pts one year and honestly he couldve probably put up 150 if he went max effort every shift

[@GuyCybershy]

He was the scapegoat when the Flames got beat by the Jets in the 85 playoffs. I wonder what the Flames would have been like had they kept him and Brett Hull.

[@IIS73f0II]

I used to work with Kent's brother Bosse Nilsson as painters he was supposed to have been an even greater talent as a youth some sort of disorder like diabetes or something ended his carrer though. Nice nostalgia!

[@bjornalm9950]

Great video! noted one of Datsuyks later moves😎 at 0.10 and of course the predecessor to the Foppa penalty shot at 0.27.

[@tillinternet]

0:10 0:27

[@MO-vn7kc]

This is the guy who inspired Peter Forsbergs famous goal on Corey hirsch ( Shootout in the olympics.

[@pinkponyofprey1965]

haha nononoo! XD Not Nynash amn! Ny-näs-hamn ... New-isthmus-harbor! No matter what, damn, Kent Nilsson made ice hockey into an art!

[@hangemhigh7069]

A Hero from little town with Baltic Sea Nynäshamn!

[@glenw-xm5zf]

Best season: 49 + 82 Not too shabby

[@TheBillaro]

Fletcher is a wizard.

[@exlimey1417]

I remember Hextall's vicious slash on him in the Finals (87?)

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

That was nasty, but he shoulda gone after Anderson

[@davidvenn8267]

Right! Hextall was looking for anyone to slash because of the Anderson stick on him and Nillson just happened to be there

[@peterlee4682]

@ 1:10 The Flames originally drafted him as Torbjorn Nilsson who, I believe was a Swedish Soccer player, so they had to draft him again the next year with his real name!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

You are awesome! Great info

[@pederfallbom]

Yes thats accurate. Torbjörn Nilsson was captain in IFK Göteborg that won the UEFA Cup 2 times in the -80 ties👍🇸🇪

[@bjornalm9950]

Torbjörn Nilsson was extremely tale❤nted similar to Kent but also had problem to reach his full potential. Conny Karlsson was captain in 1982 btw.

[@pederfallbom]

@@bjornalm9950 Correct! That was one hell of a team, beating all the big teams in europe and most of the guys in IFK Göteborg had dayjobs 💪👍

[@Jerry-sn4nx]

Great video, thank you! He was my favorite player. As a matter of fact he was my fave player , with goalie Jom Craig, before the Atlanta flames became Calgary flames. Regardless of what the media said about him, he was a very inspiring player. They accused him of not giving his all, something he's clearly admitted wasn't his strength, yet his "less than 100%" was leagues above 99% of all other NHL players. I saw it as a kind of jealousy that he didnt have to give 100% to get results, while literally the rest of the league had to give 110% nightly or else they'd get shipped down.

[@313Martin]

The magic man

[@brentmorrison7003]

I love these stories on WHA players...they gotta do one on Kevin Morrison...

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

relation?

[@brentmorrison7003]

He is a cousin of mine..great guy, always telling us stories at the lebenese club he hangs out at drinking his beers still...lol

[@rateit1474]

7:47 Forsberg move, before Forsberg did it. So it should actually be a Kenta move.

[@truckingswe]

Forsberg sad to the Swedish coach to pick him and when he did Forsberg sad im gone do a Kenta move :)

[@rateit1474]

@@truckingswe I heard that he didn't want to be picked at all. Peter said "I missed all penalties at the training so I believed i was going to miss both of them" But it was the coach who sent him to do it. 6:57 in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHfTeZiCg7SLZ80 Content in Swedish. But I heard he said he didn't want to shoot the penalty more clear somewhere else, but I can't find the video now. It was a long time since i heard it.

[@truckingswe]

@@rateit1474 No it was like no other wanted to do it and Forsberg sad i do one more

[@truckingswe]

@@rateit1474 kzbin.info/www/bejne/baeppmCGor2csNU Peter says i shoot so bad so i have to make something special

[@rateit1474]

@@truckingswe Okay so it was after he didn't want to do it then. That works for me.

[@hitibikunu]

I think it was Gretsky who said that Kent was the most skilled player he ever saw

[@jasondashney]

Yes. It's in this video.

[@hitibikunu]

@@jasondashney just trying to be funny

[@-macgyver]

Could you do? The forgotten Canucks Superstar: The story of Petri Skriko

[@MO-vn7kc]

Also known as Mr. Magic

[@andykennard9458]

The Oilers absolutely did not “…roll past the Flyers.” That series went 7 games and the Flyers were an injured team.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Loved those Philly teams sure … great teams in the 70s 80s and 90s

[@elawson1991]

Not to mention that the Oilers were up 3-1

[@bryanneufeld4328]

Yup without Tim Kerr in that series

[@floridamanpresents3952]

Do a video on kerr

[@waynejohanson1083]

Great point. How is going 7 games the distance rolling over a team.

[@mattihp]

One post-career job is not mentioned, coaching me and 15 other nerds in ice hockey in a reality tv show

[@alelectric2767]

Hakan Loob was also a forgot talent.

[@Vic-cr5eq]

Kent had many highlight-reel goals, not shown here, but the move to Edmonton forced him to show up every night with a high caliber young team. Should have stayed in Edmonton as Sather unshackled offensive players.

[@ZeroneAngel]

Holy F..K..I have never ever heard anyone butcher the pronunciation of Nynäsham that badly...or any swedish towns name for that matter. Credits to you for that achievement!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thank you 🇸🇪

[@LordStanley94]

Love Love Love Your Channel!!!!! Nillson also reminds me a bit of Mario Lemieux

[@theodorebelmont7922]

Mario had tons of heart n drive. People like to label him too but that's bot true

[@LordStanley94]

@@theodorebelmont7922 never said that Mario didn’t have heart or drive. Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are referring to. Mario was my favorite player

[@theodorebelmont7922]

@@LordStanley94 mine too sorry I thought u were dissing him. Many stupid Canadians would label Mario those things too and it always pissed me off lol

[@LordStanley94]

@@theodorebelmont7922 Mario was an amazing player. Honestly, my favorite. He and Jagr were incredible together.

[@theodorebelmont7922]

@@LordStanley94 me too

[@patrickstrandberg4426]

Small village 😂 lived around 10,000 in Nynäshamn when he grew up there

[@tallesttreeintheforest]

how did you play defense in the 80s? hook a play and get a free ride? there are many players in todays NHL who are terrible defensively, but they get a pass because its always the goalies fault if they let in a goal.

[@waynejohanson1083]

Should have been a Hall of Famer. But he just didn't have the hunger and drive to be one.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Accurate ... not everyone wants to be the best they can be.

[@hassetagesson6811]

He actually is in The WHA Hall of Fame.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

@@hassetagesson6811 sadly, the WHA HOF was a sham/scam run for profit out of some idiot’s garage. He has since passed. The WHA Deserves better.

[@LorentzHallMusic]

Second best Swede ever after Forsberg.

[@raybarker2180]

Kent started with the WHA Jets… i was at the game when he scored his first pro goal…

[@mramaretto114]

This is cool basically A Swedish Hockey Ronaldinho

[@benchow8851]

Basically a Datsyuk of that generation...

[@jload1]

He’s a forgotten superstar because he played in the same era as Wayne Gretzky Peter Stasny,etc

[@hebber1961]

Mostly because he never scored important goals. Usually multiple points in an 8-1 game. He disappeared in close tough games.

[@jeysonlivington]

Lmao. Those names picked in draft alot didn't make it RIP Kent nielsen

[@catcherinthesky4106]

'Kent Nilsson grew up in a small village called' - *linguistic slaughter * . 😆

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

That is funny 😄 as hell … made me lol 😂

[@thedudeyeah]

0:38

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Ain’t never gonna live that down

[@bjornf8518]

Rotflol at 0:38 pronunciation of Nynäshamn.

[@bjornf8518]

Just wanna add that I don't expect anyone to pronounce it correctly if you don't speak a Scandinavian language, and I'm not trying to shame the narrator, but it just sounds funny to my ears.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

I am shamed 🇸🇪

[@bjornf8518]

@@ProHockeyAlumni Please don't be. I could never edit that kind of video. Thanks for the content! 👍

[@leftyallaround]

very bad decision for the jets not to protect kent nilsson... terrible

[@davestephens2037]

The Magic Man,,, usually disappeared at playoff time !

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Sad but true 👏

[@tobbekleva]

It was one of his magic tricks.

[@frankhoward7645]

He was the highest paid player on the North Stars, clearing $400K per season. Rather than waiting for his check to arrive, he would go to the North Stars office to pick it up as early as possible. I sold him a $42 picture of himself. He arrived at my house and sat in his Mercedes until I came out as apparently, he expected curb service. He handed me two twenties and said he would get the rest to me when he had more cash on him. I saw him numerous times in the dressing room and he never seemed to have the $2. Not much I could do about it. Only NHL player to short change me. Magic Man? I think Cheap Skate would be more appropriate.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

very interesting story ... Thanks!

[@randychase305]

No one gives a shit, frank.

[@rateit1474]

Good video, I liked everything except the pronounciation of "Nynäshamn"

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

tried like hell to get 'er right

[@rateit1474]

@@ProHockeyAlumni All is well. Try NY-Näs-Hamn, like, Niie naes hamn (ham like in hamburger and add a N). Then you should be close. Thanks for the video. Good someone remember Kent Nilsson, awesome skill he had.

[@mmastories5768]

Absolutely brutal butchering 😂

[@jdbankshot]

the 86-87 oilers did NOT "roll" over the flyers. philly took them to 7 games, all without the mighty tim kerr. even gretzky said that was the best team he'd played against in the playoffs, even better than the 93 habs.

[@gillesjacques1022]

The magic wore off, when Messier got pissed off with him once and threw him up against the wall. He was lucky to be on some great teams, like the WHA Jets.

[@paulbartels6585]

I figured Mark would have little patience with that shit

[@johnfeeley5716]

When ever I hear his name, I am reminded of the beggar from "Kids"!

[@sportsfix6975]

Years later "Magic Man" is what Pavel Datsyuk was named....and if you ask Google or Siri "who is the magic man?" Pavel Datsyuks BIO appears! 😄

[@QenaitheCustodianGuard]

Ny-naes-hamn

[@Unclemoparman]

🐔🐔🐔

[@Death_By_Snu_Snu]

He grew up in what? ngrewjerdhgujha.....no it's Ny-Näs-Hamn. My god. Btw i heard that Gretzy was born in Cuouoninadioa (Canada)

[@daveyboy_]

When u wear a helmet like that , no one wants to remember you

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

This is the cat scumbag Hextall slashed ...for a Messier love tap and I'm a goalie with a temper. You missed that one ...

[@Aut0KAD]

career plus minus -25, never had 50 goals, had some good point totals but all during some of the easiest scoring years of the NHL.

[@lancecampbell4323]

We called him the magic man because every year he would disappear in the playoffs

[@peterlee4682]

Hey look, regular season goal celebrations get pretty exhausting when you score lots!

[@footballlover1677]

The truth is that a lot of players (and good ones) disappear in the playoffs. The Flames have had a number of them, some even just recently. Additionally, with tighter playoff checking, most high-scoring players see their points-per-game levels drop in the playoffs. If you were playing Calgary back then, Kent Nilsson would be the first guy you'd try to eliminate offensively.

[@alittlebitgone]

What's with all the................ weird pauses?

[@VioletDeliriums]

the moral of the story....possessing talent cannot prevent someone from becoming a loser.

[@TzOn79]

Loser? Lets see who archived more in life, you or Kent?

[@VioletDeliriums]

@@TzOn79 If the only thing that is important to you is playing hockey, I am sure he wins. But I bet he hasn't done a lot of the things that I have.

[@TzOn79]

@@VioletDeliriums i bet he have done plenty more things then you and I bet he dosent call people he dont know for losers.

[@VioletDeliriums]

@@TzOn79 You need to work on your English skills.

[@TzOn79]

@@VioletDeliriums Should we take it in Swedish instead? or du need to work on that?

[@jenniferwhite6089]

Calgary could be tested for banned substance use has to be that only they could have beat the ducks if they were doing drugs? the next game they should be tested throw the game to the whining wisely of their head coach and should just pay like the rest of the whining fans in Calgary why to cheap to pay to watch a minor ledge team too

[@TzOn79]

You should test to write again when you not using drugs so people can understand.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

Joey News ...punk. 2003 Cup Finals...first he quit against the Sens..then my beloved DEVILS without him best Ottawa gm 7 and then ILLEGAL PADS JIZZY ..OOPS JIGGY and the clucks ...who is the first out to host the cup with HIS CRIPPLED back??? Joey News, hate him

[@Steffe]

You need to work on how to pronounce Nynäshamn. That was the worst try, ever. Great player. I walk last hos house in Nynäshamn every now and then. It is a great little port town.

[@TzOn79]

Do you think it really matters?

[@Steffe]

@@TzOn79 Kenta, as we call him grew up at a place called Ösmo. I kinda believe that facts are important.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Noted! But I did my best with Google translate.