Ulf Nilsson

Who is Ulf Nilsson?

Ulf "Lill-Pröjsarn" Gösta Nilsson is a former professional ice hockey player who played for the Winnipeg Jets, the New York Rangers, the Springfield Indians and the Tulsa Oilers. Part of the first major wave of Europeans to star in North American hockey, he was a major star in the WHA from 1974 to 1978. He scored at least 114 points in each of his four seasons in the upstart league, finishing third or fourth among overall scorers every time. He led the WHA with 85 assists in 1976–77, and tied Marc Tardif for the lead the next season with 89. Along with countryman Anders Hedberg and established superstar Bobby Hull, he played a starring role as the Jets won Avco Cup titles in 1976 and 1978. In the 1976 playoffs, he scored 26 points in just 13 games.

In the summer of 1978, Nilsson and Hedberg signed with the NHL's New York Rangers for $2.4 million, further weakening the struggling WHA which would cease operations after just one more season. Nilsson's NHL career was marred by injuries due to a hit by Denis Potvin of the New York Islanders, which is remembered by the "Potvin Sucks" chant that takes place during every Rangers home game at Madison Square Garden. He was limited to 160 games in his three full seasons with the Rangers, though he scored an impressive 163 points in that time. He scored 8 goals and 16 points in the 1980–81 playoffs as the Rangers advanced to the semi-finals before being eliminated by their cross-town rivals, the defending champion New York Islanders. He did not play in the NHL during the 1981–82 season, but returned to the Rangers lineup for the final ten games the following year.