Thomas Gradin

Thomas Gradin became one of Vancouver Canucks' notable Swedish playersArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceArticle in SportbladetRead the sourceArticle in SVT SportRead the sourceClose and later worked for the club as a scout. Thomas GradinArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose grew up in Långsele, with Långsele AIF as his formative club. As a child, he played both football and hockey with his brother PeterArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose. In a Hockeysverige interview first published in 2017Article in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose, he recalled playing senior hockey in Långsele at just 14.

Comparing his game with Peter’s in the same interview, Gradin described himself as the stronger playmakerArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose. He also remembered a practical piece of advice from Håkan NygrenArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose: keep his stick on the ice to receive passes.

Gradin also explained how admission to GIH brought him to StockholmArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose. A dinner with the AIK team there helped him decide to join the clubArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose.

His studies also included a joint project withArticle in Djurgården Hockey historyRead the sourceClose Anders Kallur. A profile of Kallur in DjurgårdenDjurgårdenDjurgården, short for Djurgårdens IF, is a sports club in Stockholm. Here, the name refers to its ice hockey team, which has developed many Swedish NHL players.Close’s 1989/90 match programme recounts how, during Kallur’s second year at GIH, they wrote Konsten att skjuta mål, or The ArtArticle in Djurgården Hockey historyRead the sourceClose of Scoring Goals, together.