While this player played the majority of his career overseas, he enjoyed 6 highly successful seasons as a critical part of the 1980's Calgary Flames teams that peaked with the 1989 cup win.
Joe Nieuwendyk credited this player with his early success in the NHL, "He just had such a great amount of skill. He could do things none of the rest of us could. The luckiest thing that happened to me was getting put on (his) line my first full year in Calgary. He helped me so much, starting my career the right way. A big reason why I scored 50." Nieuwendyk added that (he) could "put pucks into areas, make plays, nobody else would dream of".
THE SKATING JABRONIS are proud to select a player without whom Lanny McDonald's most famous moment never happens (and offers a tremendous Swedish complement for Backstrom's RW):
Hakan Loob - RW
With this pick, THE SKATING JABRONIS have (a) created a top three lines of Ovechkin-Malkin-Makarov, Drury-Getzlaf-Perry, and Giroux-Backstrom-Loob and (b) a simple solution of flipping Ovechkin and Giroux in case we ever need to get better balance or split Malkin and Ovechkin.
@sarge88 is on the clock . . .
BTW, as an added bonus, lyrics compliments of John Buccigross, THE SKATING JABRONIS latest pick also is the inspiration for the 2nd greatest Hanuhhak song ever written:
Put on some ABBA-kah,
Here comes Hakan-Hanukkah!
So much Swedish-funukah,
To celebrate Hakan-Hanukkah!
Hakan-Hanukkah is a festival of ice
Instead of one night of hockey, we have 180 craaaazy nights.
But, when you feel like the only kid in town without a Synergy,
Here's a list of people who are Swedish, just like Doug Murray
Henrik Lundqvist's hair, is like grass called Kakuya,
There's a dude on the Devils named Johnny Oduya,
Guess who eats crayfish at a bistro in Malmo?
Fabian Brunnstrom, Fredrik Sjostrom and ex-Oiler Tommy Salo
Victor Hedman's rookie card is something worth collectin',
So is Kent and Ulf Nilsson's and Pelle Eklund's.
Swedish names are awesome, and Swedish names are fun,
There's a Nik Backstrom in Minny, and one in Washington!
One's Swedish!
Put on your ABBA-kah,
It's time for Hakan-Hanukkah!
The ex-captain of the Vancouver Canuck-anukkahs, celebrates Hakan-Hanukkah!
Saku Koivu, not a Swede!
But guess who is? Hakan's older brother Pete (he scored one goal in nine NHL games)
Peter Forsberg has bad feet, but he still likes a dancin',
So do Roger, Mathias, Calle, Bjorn and Andreas Johansson!
Mike Grier's not from Sweden, nor Dainius Zubrus
But Niclas Wallin, two Sedins and Hakan Loob is!
So many Swedes are in the NHL,
There's a dude in Chicago named Hjalmarsson.
Now that's announcer hell!
Tell your friend Per-onica,
It's time for Hakan-Hanukkah!
I hope I get new Graf-onikahs
On this lovely Hakan-Hanukkah!
So drink your cold Fal-connika
And play 18 with Annika
If you really, really wannakah
Have a happy, happy, happy Hakan-Hanukkah!
Happy Hakan-Hanukkah!
