Lars-Erik "Taxen" Sjöberg (4 May 1944 – 20 October 1987) was a Swedish ice hockey defenceman. He played in Sweden from 1962 to 1974 (Leksands IF 1962–1965 and 1967–1969, Djurgårdens IF Hockey 1965–1967, and Västra Frölunda IF 1969–1974), and in North America for the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA and NHL from 1974 to 1980.
Sjöberg won the Golden Puck as the Swedish player of the Year in 1968–69 and was named best defenceman at the 1974 World Ice Hockey Championships.Iihf Directorate Awards And Most Valuable Player. hockeycanada.ca He was the first non-North American born and raised captain in the NHL, wearing the "C" for the Winnipeg Jets during their first season in the NHL. He was nicknamed "The Professor" and "The Little General" while playing for the Jets. Sjöberg captained the Swedish national team at the 1976 Canada Cup.
Sjöberg was working as a scout for the New York Rangers when he died of cancer in 1987. To honour him the Rangers each year gives out the Lars-Erik Sjöberg Award to the best rookie in the training camp.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1962–63 Leksands IF SWE 6 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 1963–64 Leksands IF SWE 14 0 2 2 2 7 1 1 2 0 1964–65 Leksands IF SWE 14 1 2 3 2 14 0 1 1 4 1965–66 Djurgårdens IF SWE 20 1 3 4 0 3 0 1 1 0 1966–67 Djurgårdens IF SWE 21 4 7 11 2 3 0 1 1 0 1967–68 Leksands IF SWE 21 3 3 6 — 7 1 3 4 2 1968–69 Leksands IF SWE 19 6 2 8 4 7 0 1 1 0 1969–70 Västra Frölunda IF SWE 14 2 1 3 10 — — — — — 1970–71 Västra Frölunda IF SWE 13 8 4 12 6 — — — — — 1971–72 Västra Frölunda IF SWE 27 4 11 15 4 — — — — — 1972–73 Västra Frölunda IF SWE 14 1 6 7 0 — — — — — 1973–74 Västra Frölunda IF SWE 41 4 35 39 21 — — — — — 1974–75 Winnipeg Jets WHA 75 7 53 60 30 — — — — — 1975–76 Winnipeg Jets WHA 81 5 36 41 12 13 0 5 5 12 1976–77 Winnipeg Jets WHA 52 2 38 40 31 20 0 6 6 22 1977–78 Winnipeg Jets WHA 78 11 39 50 72 9 0 9 9 4 1978–79 Winnipeg Jets WHA 9 0 3 3 2 10 1 2 3 4 1979–80 Winnipeg Jets NHL 79 7 27 34 48 — — — — — SWE totals 224 35 76 111 51 41 2 8 10 6 WHA totals 295 25 169 194 147 52 1 22 23 42
International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1968 Sweden OLY 7 0 0 0 4 1969 Sweden WC 9 3 2 5 2 1970 Sweden WC 10 1 1 2 0 1972 Sweden OLY 6 1 1 2 2 1972 Sweden WC 10 1 1 2 0 1973 Sweden WC 10 1 2 3 2 1974 Sweden WC 9 1 0 1 2 1976 Sweden CC 5 0 3 3 6 Senior totals 66 8 10 18 18
Awards and achievements Swedish Player of the Year (1969) World Championship All-Star Team (1974) Named Best Defenseman at World Championship (1974) Played in the Canada Cup (1976) Avco Cup (WHA) Championships (1976, 1978, 1979) WHA First All-Star Team (1978) Dennis A. Murphy Trophy Winner (1978) "Honoured Member" of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame Inaugural member of the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame
References
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