Mats Sundin wasn't exactly a well-kept secret heading into the 1989 NHL Draft in Bloomington, Minnesota. The generously skilled native of Bromma, Sweden, had been on the radar of the Quebec Nordiques for some time and he was their prime target for the two months before the draft at the Met Center.
So it was that Sundin would make history on June 17, 1989, the first European-born player to be selected at No. 1 when the Nordiques announced his name.
For more of Mats Sundin's 100 Greatest Players bio, please click here.
Mats Sundin wasn't exactly a well-kept secret heading into the 1989 NHL Draft in Bloomington, Minnesota. The generously skilled native of Bromma, Sweden, had been on the radar of the Quebec Nordiques for some time and he was their prime target for the two months before the draft at the Met Center.
So it was that Sundin would make history on June 17, 1989, the first European-born player to be selected at No. 1 when the Nordiques announced his name.
For more of Mats Sundin's 100 Greatest Players bio, please click here.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- Swedish World All-Star Team (1991, 1992, 1994, 1997)
- Canada Cup All-Star Team (1991)
- WC-A All-Star Team (1992)
- Best Forward at WC-A (1992)
- World Cup All-Star Team (1996)
- NHL Second All-Star Team (2002, 2004)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004)
- Traded to Toronto by Quebec with Garth Butcher, Todd Warriner and Philadelphia's 1st round pick (previously acquired, later traded to Washington -- Washington selected Nolan Baumgartner) in 1994 NHL Draft for Wendel Clark, Sylvain Lefebvre, Landon Wilson and Toronto's 1st round pick (Jeffrey Kealty) in 1994 NHL Draft, June 28, 1994.
- Signed as a free agent by Vancouver, December 18, 2008.
- Officially announced his retirement, September 30, 2009.