1
Bobby Smith (C)
CenterInactive
Swedes in the NHL DraftSwedes in the 1978 NHL Draft
Cohort: 1958
Highest selection
#55
WSHBengt-Åke Gustafsson (L)
Swedes selected
8
of 234 picks
In round 1
0
of 8 Swedes
Share of the draft
3 %
of all picks
The 1978 NHL Draft took place on June 15, 1978 in Montreal, QC, Canada. 8 Swedes were selected, including 0 in the first round. Bengt-Åke Gustafsson was the first Swede selected, at number 55 in round 4.
2 of the 8 Swedes (25%) have played at least one NHL game since the draft. The class leaders in NHL games played are Bengt-Åke Gustafsson (629 GP, 554 P) and Mats Hallin (152 GP, 31 P).
Across the draft archive, the year ranks 21 in Swedes selected and 7 in Swedish first-round selections. The Swedish draft class has combined for 585 points in 781 NHL regular-season games. That ranks as the 32nd best Swedish draft class of all time by total points. None are still active in the NHL today.
The draft's top picks
The first 10 selections
Every drafted Swede
8 Swedes were drafted
8
Swedes
5
Teams
5
Rounds
Round 4
2 PICKS
55
56
Harald Lückner (L)Left wing
Round 7
1 PICKS
105
Round 11
3 PICKS
174
Bo Ericsson (D)Defenseman
175
Dan Hermansson (F)Forward
184
Christer Lowdahl (C)Center
Round 12
1 PICKS
199
Gunnar Persson (D)Defenseman
Round 13
1 PICKS
204
Ulf Zetterstrom (C)Center
The draft class in the NHL
Best Swedish players from the 1978 Draft
NHL regular-season statistics: games played, goals, assists, points, plus save percentage, wins, and shutouts for goalies.
Skaters · most points
Bengt-Åke Gustafsson (L)
Drafted #55WSH
GP
629
G
195
A
359
P
554
Mats Hallin (C)
Drafted #105WSH
GP
152
G
17
A
14
P
31
Drafting teams
Teams that drafted Swedish players
Sorted by the number of Swedish players selected.
The road to the NHL
The draft class's NHL debuts
2 of the class's Swedes have made their NHL debuts, the first in 1979-1980. Pick a season to see every debutant.
More about the NHL Draft and the Swedes
Explore Swedish Draft history
Best draft classes→The best Swedish draft classes by NHL career output.First round→Every Swedish first-round selection, ordered by pick number.Teams→Which NHL teams have drafted the most Swedes?
From draft pick to NHL contract – what an entry-level contract means and how salary, bonuses and AAV work.