Peter Forsberg

Lore & Background

Peter Forsberg was born in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, the son of Kent Forsberg, a former coach of Modo Hockey and the Swedish national team. Forsberg was coached by his father for a significant part of his career: the two teamed up from 1991 to 1994 with Modo and later for the national team in the 1996 World Cup, 1998 Olympics and 1998 World Championship, which Sweden won. Forsberg played minor hockey alongside childhood friend Markus Näslund, who was also born in Örnsköldsvik. Born ten days apart, the two were well-acquainted while playing on separate youth teams before joining on the regional Ångermanland all-star team for the under-16 TV-pucken national championship in 1988. They went on to compete alongside each other at the junior and men's level for both Modo Hockey and the Swedish national team. Forsberg and Näslund also attended high school together and had summer jobs at the age of 18 with the same electrical company that employed both Näslund's mother and Forsberg's father. Growing up, Forsberg's idol was Elitserien and NHL star Håkan Loob. Forsberg debuted in 1990 with the junior squad of Modo Hockey. During the course of the season, he debuted with the senior team in the Elitserien and scored an assist in his only game. In 1990–91, he scored three goals in one period of game two of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, becoming the fifth player in NHL history to do so.

In Their Own Story

The arena in Raleigh was half-empty, a midweek Tuesday in February, the kind of night where the ice felt wide and the crowd noise was a low hum rather than a roar. Forsberg carried the puck up the left wing, skating so low and so smoothly that the boards seemed to lean in to watch. He made no feint, no shoulder drop. He simply looked over his left shoulder, found a lane that three defenders had agreed was closed, and threaded a pass so clean that the puck slid between two sticks and into the open net before the goaltender's glove was even up. The Hurricanes' captain skated to the bench, hands on his hips, mouth open. The Avalanche bench erupted. Forsberg, already skating back on defence, didn't look back. He never did.

Reader's Guide

Peter Forsberg is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player known for his on-ice vision and physical play. He won two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche (1996 and 2001) and numerous individual honors including the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2003. He is a member of the Triple Gold Club and the only Swede who has won each of the three competitions twice. Forsberg was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.

Did You Know?

• Forsberg was drafted sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1991 NHL entry draft, the first European player taken that year.
• He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1995.
• Forsberg scored three goals in one period of game two of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, becoming the sixth player in NHL history to do so.
• He is the only Swede who has won each of the Triple Gold Club competitions twice.