Mikael Renberg

Lore & Background

Renberg began his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers, who drafted him 40th overall in 1990. In his rookie season he set the Flyers' club record for most points by a rookie with 82 points (38 goals, 44 assists) in 83 games. He became popular with fans for playing on the 'Legion of Doom' line alongside John LeClair and Eric Lindros, and the line helped the team reach the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, where they were swept in four games by the Detroit Red Wings. After the Stanley Cup run, the Flyers signed restricted free agent Chris Gratton to a five-year, $16.5M contract; when Gratton's former team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, declined to match, the Flyers had to compensate the Lightning with four first-round draft picks. Seeking to reacquire those picks, the Flyers traded Renberg and Karl Dykhuis to Tampa Bay, where Renberg was immediately named captain. Sixteen months later the teams virtually undid the trade, sending Renberg back to Philadelphia with Daymond Langkow for Gratton and Mike Sillinger. Renberg played parts of two more seasons for the Flyers before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Rick Tocchet just before the 2000 trade deadline. He finished that season with the Coyotes, then returned to Sweden to play for Luleå HF. After one season in Sweden he returned to the NHL by signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he played three seasons before returning again to Luleå HF to be close to his family. He captained Luleå from 2005 to 2007, then moved to nearby rival Skellefteå AIK. After two seasons with Skellefteå, he retired due to persistent groin injury problems that cut his final season short.

Reader's Guide

Mikael Renberg's career is notable for its transatlantic arc and his role on one of the most famous forward lines of the 1990s. As a rookie, he set a Philadelphia Flyers franchise record for points by a first-year player, a mark that stood as a benchmark for the organization. His tenure on the 'Legion of Doom' line with John LeClair and Eric Lindros defined an era of Flyers hockey and propelled the team to the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals. Renberg's trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the compensation for Chris Gratton made him the Lightning's captain, though the trade was largely reversed 16 months later. He later returned to Sweden and captained Luleå HF, winning the Golden Puck as Elitserien Player of the Year in 2001. Internationally, Renberg represented Sweden at multiple World Championships and two Olympics, winning a gold medal at the 1998 World Championships and a bronze in 2001. His international career also included a silver medal at the 1992 World Juniors and a gold at the Junior European Championships. Renberg's legacy is that of a skilled, durable forward who excelled at the highest levels of both the NHL and European hockey, and whose contributions to the Flyers' 'Legion of Doom' remain a touchstone of 1990s hockey.

Did You Know?

• Renberg set the Philadelphia Flyers' franchise record for most points by a rookie with 82 in the 1993–94 season.
• He was named captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning immediately after being traded from the Flyers in 1997.
• Renberg won the Viking Award as the top Swedish player in the NHL in 1995.
• He scored his 100th NHL career goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on 16 February 1997.