Niclas Bergfors

Niclas Bergfors
HC Amur Khabarovsk hockey players 2016-01-29.jpg
Born (1987-03-07) 7 March 1987
Södertälje, Sweden
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
SHL team
Former teams
Linköpings HC
Södertälje SK
New Jersey Devils
Atlanta Thrashers
Florida Panthers
Nashville Predators
Ak Bars Kazan
Severstal Cherepovets
Admiral Vladivostok
Amur Khabarovsk
NHL Draft 23rd overall, 2005
New Jersey Devils
Playing career 2004present

Niclas Bergfors (born 7 March 1987) is a Swedish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for Linköpings HC of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was drafted by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s New Jersey Devils in the first round, 23rd overall, at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, playing for the organization for four-and-a-half seasons before joining the Atlanta Thrashers 2010, Florida Panthers in 2011 and Nashville Predators via free agency in 2011. He later joined the KHL's Ak Bars Kazan in late 2011 before signing with Severstal Cherepovets. In 2013, he joined Admiral Vladivostok, where he played for three seasons before joining Amur Khabarovsk in a mid-season trade.

Playing career

In 2004–05, prior to being drafted to the NHL, Bergfors played for hometown club Södertälje SK of the Elitserien.

Bergfors spent the 2005–06 season with the New Jersey Devils' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Albany River Rats, scoring 17 goals and 40 points in 65 games. During the season, he represented Sweden at the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, scoring three goals and six points in six games.

In 2006–07, Bergfors played for New Jersey's new AHL affiliate, the Lowell Devils, where he scored 13 goals and 32 points in 60 games. He once again played with Sweden in the 2007 World Junior Championships, where he posted two assists in seven games.

Bergfors returned to Lowell for the 2007–08 season, where he saw his production decrease to 12 goals and 27 points in 66 games. He did make his NHL debut, however, going pointless in one game with New Jersey. He spent the majority of the 2008–09 season with Lowell, scoring 22 goals and 51 points in 66 games, also playing in eight games with New Jersey, scoring one goal.

In 2009–10, Bergfors made the Devils' opening day roster, and in 54 games with New Jersey, he scored 13 goals and 27 points. On 4 February 2010, however, the Devils traded Bergfors, along with Johnny Oduya, Patrice Cormier and their first-round pick in 2010, to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for Ilya Kovalchuk, Anssi Salmela and Atlanta's second-round pick in 2010.[1]

Bergfors finished 2009–10 with Atlanta, where he scored eight goals and 17 points in 27 games. After the season, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team after scoring 21 goals and 44 points in 81 games with both the Devils and Thrashers. In 2010–11, Bergfors saw his numbers slide, scoring 11 goals and 29 points in 52 games with Atlanta. On 28 February 2011, the Thrashers traded Bergfors and Patrick Rissmiller to the Florida Panthers for Radek Dvořák and Florida's fifth-round draft pick in 2011.[2]

On 4 July 2011, Bergfors signed a one-year, $575,000 contract with the Nashville Predators as a free agent.[3] He was put on unconditional waivers by the Predators on 24 November 2011, making him a free agent.

Bergfors then signed with the Ak Bars Kazan on 2 December 2011,[4] playing just eight games before joining Severstal Cherepovets on a two-year contract.[5] In June 2013, he was drafted at the KHL Expansion Draft by Admiral Vladivostok.

After 12 years playing professionally abroad, Bergford returned to his native Sweden agreeing to a two-year contract with Linköping HC of the SHL on May 4, 2016.[6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2004–05 Södertälje SK SEL 251012 20000
2005–06 Albany River Rats AHL 6517234010
2006–07 Lowell Devils AHL 601319328
2007–08 Lowell Devils AHL 6612152722
2007–08 New Jersey Devils NHL 10000
2008–09 Lowell Devils AHL 6622295114
2008–09 New Jersey Devils NHL 81010
2009–10 New Jersey Devils NHL 5413142710
2009–10 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 2789170
2010–11 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 521118296
2010–11 Florida Panthers NHL 201672
2011–12 Nashville Predators NHL 111122
2011–12 Ak Bars Kazan KHL 80112
2011–12 Severstal Cherepovets KHL 134374 60110
2012–13 Severstal Cherepovets KHL 45810182 90330
2013–14 Admiral Vladivostok KHL 5417193618 51122
2014–15 Admiral Vladivostok KHL 6021234414
2015–16 Admiral Vladivostok KHL 2538116
2015–16 Sokol Krasnoyarsk VHL 20000
2015–16 Amur Khabarovsk KHL 23671310
NHL totals 17335488320
KHL totals 228597113056 201562

International

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Ice hockey
IIHF U18 Championships
2005 České Budějovice
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2004 Sweden WJC18 5th 6 1 2 3 6
2005 Sweden WJC18 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 7 6 0 6 0
2005 Sweden WJC 6th 6 2 1 3 2
2006 Sweden WJC 5th 6 3 3 6 2
2007 Sweden WJC 4th 7 0 2 2 0
Junior totals 32 12 8 20 10

References

  1. "Thrashers ship Kovalchuk to Devils for players, 1st rounder". The Sports Network. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  2. "Thrashers acquire Dvorak from Panthers". The Boston Globe. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  3. "Preds Sign Free Agent Forward Niclas Bergfors". Nashville Predators. 3 July 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  4. "Ak Bars Kazan sign NHL player Niclas Bergfors". Ak Bars Kazan. 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
  5. "Bergfors switches to the Cherepovets" (in Russian). sprots.ru. 2011-12-05. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  6. "Niclas Bergfors is ready for new challenge" (in Swedish). Linköping HC. 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Travis Zajac
New Jersey Devils first round draft pick
2005
Succeeded by
Matt Corrente
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