Nils Höglander (born 20 December 2000), is a Swedish professional ice hockey left winger for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] He was selected in the second round, 40th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Nils Höglander
Höglander with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022
Born (2000-12-20) 20 December 2000 (age 24)
Bockträsk [sv], Sweden
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Vancouver Canucks
Rögle BK
NHL draft 40th overall, 2019
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career 2016–present

Early life

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Nils Höglander is from the village of Bockträsk [sv] in rural northern Sweden, near the town of Malå.[2][3] As Bockträsk only had a population of about 20 people, Höglander often played with his older sister, Tilda.[4] He started playing hockey at age three, having learned to skate on Bockträsket [sv] lake.[4] As a youth, he played for Malå IF.[3] As he grew up, his family moved to Arvidsjaur, and then Skellefteå, so he and Tilda could play hockey.[2][4] He did not succeed in tryouts for Skellefteå AIK, and instead played for Clemensnäs HC [sv].[2] In 2012, when Höglander was 11 years old, Tilda died suddenly of a ruptured coronary artery.[2][5]

In 2015, Höglander played for Timrå IK's U16 and U18 squads.[6][7] Höglander's future Canucks teammate Elias Pettersson was also at Timrå during this time, though they played in different age groups.[8]

Playing career

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From 2016 to 2018, Höglander played in Stockholm for AIK IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second-highest men's hockey league.[7] In 2018, when he was 17 years old, he moved further south to Ängelholm to play for Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League, the top league in Swedish hockey.[8] On 30 April 2020, Höglander signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks.[9] With the 2020–21 North American season delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Höglander was returned to begin the season on loan to Rögle BK until the resumption of NHL training camp in January 2021.[10]

 
Höglander and Brandon Tanev of the Seattle Kraken in 2022

Höglander made his NHL debut and scored his first NHL goal on 13 January 2021, in the Canucks' season opener against the Edmonton Oilers.[11][12][13] On 18 May, Höglander was awarded the Pavel Bure Most Exciting Player Award by Canucks fans.[14]

In the 2022–23 season, Höglander played 25 games with the Canucks, in addition to 45 games with the Canucks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.[15] A restricted free agent, Höglander re-signed with the Canucks on a two-year, $2.2 million contract on 9 July 2023.[16]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2016–17 AIK J20 12 2 1 3 18 4 0 1 1 4
2016–17 AIK Allsv 24 5 3 8 18 3 0 0 0 0
2017–18 AIK J20 22 14 8 22 53
2017–18 AIK Allsv 34 3 4 7 6 5 0 1 1 4
2018–19 Rögle BK SHL 50 7 7 14 22 2 0 0 0 0
2019–20 Rögle BK SHL 41 9 7 16 39
2020–21 Rögle BK SHL 23 5 9 14 33
2020–21 Vancouver Canucks NHL 56 13 14 27 16
2021–22 Vancouver Canucks NHL 60 10 8 18 24
2022–23 Vancouver Canucks NHL 25 3 6 9 6
2022–23 Abbotsford Canucks AHL 45 14 18 32 44 6 3 3 6 18
2023–24 Vancouver Canucks NHL 80 24 12 36 51 11 1 1 2 2
SHL totals 114 21 23 44 94 2 0 0 0 0
NHL totals 221 50 40 90 97 11 1 1 2 2

International

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Medal record
Representing   Sweden
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
  2020 Czech Republic
World U18 Championships
  2018 Russia
Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2016 Sweden U17 6 0 0 0 18
2018 Sweden U18 7 0 0 0 2
2020 Sweden WJC 7 5 6 11 27
Junior totals 20 5 6 11 47

References

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  1. ^ "Nils Höglander player profile". eliteprospects.com. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Höglander om sorgen efter systerns bortgång". www.aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). 19 January 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Möt Människan: Nils Höglander". www.shl.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Så reste sig Nils Höglander ur sorgen". Hockeysverige. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  5. ^ Johnston, Patrick (14 January 2021). "Canucks Notebook: Höglander keeps late sister in his heart, broadcasters stick close to home". The Province. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  6. ^ Johnston, Patrick (15 February 2024). "Canucks numbers: How Nils Höglander is thriving in tight". SaltWire Network. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Nils Höglander". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Canucks' Hoglander thriving in Vancouver despite isolating rookie experience". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  9. ^ Johnston, Patrick. "Canucks sign super-skilled prospect Nils Hoglander". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Nils Höglander to begin season in Rögle" (in Swedish). Rögle BK. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  11. ^ Ingemi, Marisa (14 January 2021). "Canucks are all in on the Nils Hoglander hype train". ProHockeyTalk. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Boeser scores twice, Canucks beat Oilers 5-3". sports.yahoo.com. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  13. ^ Van Diest, Derek (13 January 2021). "Boeser scores twice in third period, Canucks win opener against Oilers". NHL.com. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Canucks Announce Pavel Bure Award winner". Twitter. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Canucks re-sign forward Nils Hoglander to two-year, $2.2M contract". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Canucks re-sign forward Nils Hoglander to two-year, $2.2M contract". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
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