Carl Hagelin

Lore & Background

Hagelin grew up in Södertälje and played two seasons for Södertälje SK's J20 SuperElit team, where he scored 44 goals and 51 assists, ranking fifth all-time in points and goals for the club. He then moved to North America to play NCAA Division I hockey for the University of Michigan Wolverines, becoming the first Swedish player ever to play for the university and the first European-born player on Michigan's roster in fifteen years. At Michigan, he served as an alternate captain in his third year and a co-captain in his fourth, winning the CCHA championship in 2009–10 and the CCHA Best Defensive Forward Award in 2010–11. He was a fan favorite, with Swedish flags regularly displayed by fans in his final season.

Drafted by the Rangers in 2007, Hagelin made his NHL debut in November 2011 and scored his first goal the next day. He participated in the 2012 NHL All-Star Rookie Showcase, winning the Fastest Skater challenge with a time of 13.218 seconds. After stints with the Rangers and Ducks, he was traded to the Penguins in January 2016, where he contributed 27 points in 37 regular-season games and 16 points in the playoffs en route to the 2016 Stanley Cup. He won a second Cup in 2017, scoring the final goal of the playoffs—an empty-netter in game six.

Hagelin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in November 2018 but played only 22 games due to injury before being moved to the Washington Capitals in February 2019. He re-signed with the Capitals for four years but suffered a severe eye injury during a practice in March 2022, requiring two surgeries and resulting in partial vision loss. After additional hip surgeries, he retired in August 2023 due to ongoing complications from the eye injury.

Reader's Guide

Carl Hagelin's NHL career is notable for his exceptional speed, which he demonstrated by winning the Fastest Skater competition at the 2012 All-Star Rookie Showcase with a record time. His playoff durability was unmatched in the 2010s, as he played 128 postseason games—the most of any NHL player that decade—and was a key contributor to two Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hagelin's time with the Los Angeles Kings was brief and injury-marred, lasting only 22 games, but his overall career spanned eleven seasons across five teams. He also represented Sweden internationally, winning a silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Off the ice, Hagelin's path to the NHL was unusual for a Swedish player: he was the first Swede to play for the University of Michigan and the first European-born player on the Wolverines' roster in fifteen years. His college career included a CCHA championship and individual defensive honors. Hagelin's retirement was forced by a severe eye injury sustained during a Capitals practice, which required multiple surgeries and left him with partial vision loss, ultimately ending his playing days after four surgeries in one year.