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34. Mats Sundin

34. Mats Sundin

In 1989, Mats Sundin would make history as he would become the first ever European player to be chosen number one in the NHL Draft when the Quebec Nordiques did so in 1989. 

The future Swedish superstar would not join Quebec until the 1990-91 season, but it was clearly a time of rebuilding for the Nordiques, as he never logged. Playoff game for the team.  Sundin scored 59 Points as a rookie, and 76 to follow up, but it was the year after that would actually be his best his seasons in terms of statistics, and yes, that includes his seasons in Toronto!

That year (1992-93), Sundin scored a career-high in Goals (47), Assists (67), and Points (114), and in his fourth and final campaign in Quebec City, he had 85 Points.  He would total 334 Points for his a 1.03 PPG.

He would be traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1994 off-season, and he would become their best player for over a decade.

Sundin would enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Center
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 1st Overall 6/17/89.
  • Departed: Traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs with Garth Butcher, Todd Warriner and the previously acquired 1994 1st Round Pick (which would later be traded to the Washington Capitals and would be Nolan Baumgartner) for Wendel Clark, Sylvain Lefebvre, Landon Wilson, and Toronto’s 1994 1st Round Pick (which would be Jeffrey Kealty) 6/28/94.
  • Games Played: 324
  • Notable Statistics: 135 Goals
    199 Assists
    334 Points
    317 PIM
    1.03 PPG
    -21 Plus/Minus
    28.1 Point Shares

    No Playoff Games
  • Major Accolades and Awards: None.

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