Max Friberg
Swedish winger drafted by Anaheim, now captain of Frölunda HC.
Max Friberg (born 20 November 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger and the captain of Frölunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He won a gold medal with Sweden at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, the Swedish Championship in 2019 with Frölunda, and the Champions Hockey League twice with the same club, in 2019 and 2020. The Anaheim Ducks selected him in the fifth round, 143rd overall, of the 2011 NHL entry draft.
Friberg began his career with his hometown club Skövde IK. In the 2007–08 season, he played 24 games in the J18 Elit, scoring six goals and three assists, and 12 games in the J20 Elit, adding one goal and two assists. The following season, Skövde’s under-18 team dropped to the J18 Div.1, where Friberg recorded 14 goals and 18 assists in ten games. He also played 17 games in the J20 Elit, notching 13 goals and seven assists, and made his senior debut in Division 1, scoring one goal and three assists in 24 games.
During the 2009–10 season, Friberg broke out with the senior team, tallying 12 goals and 18 assists in 36 games—the highest point total of any under-18 player in the league. He also helped Skövde’s under-18 team return to the J18 Elit, scoring five goals and six assists in five games, and recorded three assists in his sole J20 Elit appearance. In 2010–11, he led all 18-year-olds in Division 1 with 13 goals and 27 assists in 34 games, and added one goal and three assists in two J20 Elit games. His strong production made him only the second player ever drafted from Skövde IK, after Anton Strålman in 2005.
To continue his development, Friberg signed a two-year contract with Timrå IK of the Elitserien for the 2011–12 season. He scored his first top-tier goal on 19 November 2011 against Fredrik Norrena of Linköpings HC in a 4–1 win. Over 48 games, he recorded five goals and five assists, the sixth-highest point total among players under 20 in the league. Timrå finished last and entered the 2012 Kvalserien to avoid relegation. Friberg played a key role, scoring an overtime winner in game one against BIK Karlskoga and both goals in a 2–1 overtime win against Rögle BK in game seven. Timrå stayed up, and Friberg finished the series with three goals and four assists in ten games.
Quick Facts
- Team
- Frölunda HC
- League
- SHL
- Former Teams
- Timrå IK / Anaheim Ducks
- Position
- Left wing
- Height Cm
- 180
- Weight Kg
- 89
- Shoots
- Right
- Birth Date
- 1992-11-20
- Birth Place
- Skövde, Sweden
- Ntl Team
- SWE
- Draft
- 143rd overall
- Draft Year
- 2011
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Friberg grew up playing for his hometown team Skövde IK, progressing through their junior and senior teams in Sweden's lower tiers. He was the second player ever drafted from Skövde IK, after Anton Strålman. After graduating gymnasium, he signed with Timrå IK of the Elitserien for the 2011–12 season, scoring his first top-tier goal against Fredrik Norrena. He played a key role in Timrå's 2012 Kvalserien survival, including an overtime game-winning goal and a two-goal overtime win. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks in June 2012 but was loaned back to Timrå for the 2012–13 season, during which Timrå was relegated.
Assigned to the Ducks' AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, Friberg made his NHL debut on 28 December 2014 in a 2–1 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks. He spent most of his North American career in the AHL, including time with the San Diego Gulls (where he was alternate captain) and the St. John's IceCaps (where he served as captain). In January 2016, the Ducks traded him to the Montreal Canadiens for Dustin Tokarski. He never played an NHL game for Montreal.
In May 2017, Friberg returned to Sweden, signing a three-year contract with Frölunda HC. He won the Champions Hockey League with Frölunda in 2019 and 2020, and the Swedish Championship in 2019, scoring the championship-clinching goal and leading all players in playoff goals with eight.
Reader's Guide
Max Friberg's career illustrates a path from a small Swedish club to the NHL and back to European success. Drafted by the Anaheim Ducks from Skövde IK—an unusual route for Swedish prospects—he played one NHL game for Anaheim before being traded to Montreal without ever appearing for the Canadiens. His North American tenure was primarily in the AHL, where he served as captain of the St. John's IceCaps. Returning to Sweden, Friberg became a key figure for Frölunda HC, captaining the team and winning multiple titles: the Swedish Championship in 2019 and the Champions Hockey League in 2019 and 2020. His playoff performance in 2019, where he scored the championship-winning goal and led all players in goals, underscores his impact. His career demonstrates how players drafted from non-traditional development paths can achieve success at both the NHL and European levels.
Did You Know?
- He scored the championship-clinching goal for Frölunda in the 2019 Swedish Championship finals.
- He was traded by the Anaheim Ducks to the Montreal Canadiens for Dustin Tokarski in January 2016.
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