1
Dale Hawerchuk (C)
CenterInactive
Swedes in the NHL DraftSwedes in the 1981 NHL Draft
Cohort: 1963
Highest selection
#19
MTLJan Ingman
Swedes selected
14
of 211 picks
In round 1
1
of 14 Swedes
Share of the draft
7 %
of all picks
The 1981 NHL Draft took place on June 10, 1981 in Montreal, QC, Canada. 14 Swedes were selected, including 1 in the first round. Jan Ingman was the first Swede selected, at number 19 in round 1.
5 of the 14 Swedes (36%) have played at least one NHL game since the draft. The class leaders in NHL games played are Jan Erixon (556 GP, 216 P), Peter Sundström (338 GP, 144 P), and Robert Nordmark (236 GP, 83 P).
Across the draft archive, the year ranks 15 in Swedes selected and 6 in Swedish first-round selections. The Swedish draft class has combined for 586 points in 1459 NHL regular-season games. That ranks as the 31st 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
14 Swedes were drafted
14
Swedes
9
Teams
8
Rounds
Round 1
1 PICKS
19
Jan Ingman (L)Left wing
Round 2
3 PICKS
30
32
Lars Eriksson (G)Goaltender
36
Hakan Nordin (D)Defenseman
Round 3
1 PICKS
50
Round 4
3 PICKS
78
Peter Madach (C)Center
82
83
Anders Wikberg (L)Left wing
Round 6
1 PICKS
125
Peter Aslin (G)Goaltender
Round 7
3 PICKS
127
Peter Nilsson (L)Left wing
140
146
Erik Holmberg (C)Center
Round 8
1 PICKS
159
Johan Mellstrom (L)Left wing
Round 10
1 PICKS
191
The draft class in the NHL
Best Swedish players from the 1981 Draft
NHL regular-season statistics: games played, goals, assists, points, plus save percentage, wins, and shutouts for goalies.
Skaters · most points
Jan Erixon (L)
Drafted #30NYR
GP
556
G
57
A
159
P
216
Peter Sundström (L)
Drafted #50NYR
GP
338
G
61
A
83
P
144
Kjell Dahlin (C)
Drafted #82MTL
GP
166
G
57
A
59
P
116
Robert Nordmark (D)
Drafted #191DET
GP
236
G
13
A
70
P
83
Mats Thelin (D)
Drafted #140BOS
GP
163
G
8
A
19
P
27
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
4 of the class's Swedes have made their NHL debuts, the first in 1983-1984. 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.