Niclas Wallin

Niclas Wallin
230px
Born	(1975-02-20) 20 February 1975 Boden, Sweden
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Brynäs IF Carolina Hurricanes San Jose Sharks
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	97th overall, 2000 Carolina Hurricanes
Playing career	1996–2012

Niclas Wallin (born 20 February 1975) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player and Stanley Cup champion who last played for Luleå of the Swedish Elitserien (SEL). He won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

Playing career

Wallin's career began in Bodens IK, his hometown team. Having had a breakthrough in the 1995–96 season, he was picked up by the Swedish Elitserien team Brynäs. After spending some years with Brynäs, Wallin was drafted in the fourth round, 97th overall by the Hurricanes at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft and remained at the team until February 2010. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Wallin returned to his native Sweden, playing 39 games for Luleå. In 2006, he won his first Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Niclas Wallin is known to many Hurricanes fans as The Secret Weapon due to his timing with postseason goals. He has only scored four of them, but all of them have been game winners, and three have come in overtime, including a game against the Montreal Canadiens in 2002 and Game 2 of the 2006 postseason series against the New Jersey Devils. The fourth one was a game-winning goal in Game 2 of the 2011 Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Detroit Red Wings.

Wallin was featured in a Top 10 list on TSN's Sportscentre in 2006 after he scored a famous own goal in a game against the Washington Capitals. A delayed penalty was called on Washington, and Carolina removed their goalie from the net to get an extra skater. Wallin was chased out of the offensive zone by Alexander Ovechkin and tried to deke around a passing referee. When he did this, Wallin lost control of the puck and it sailed more than 100 feet into Carolina's open net.

On 7 February 2010, it was announced that Wallin was traded to the San Jose Sharks along with a fifth round draft pick in exchange for a second round draft pick that originally belonged to the Buffalo Sabres in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

On 26 June 2010, Wallin re-signed to a one-year contract to remain with the Sharks for the following 2010–11 season.

On 15 June 2011, Wallin signed a three-year contract to return home to captain Luleå HF of the Elitserien.

International career

After a lengthy hockey career, Wallin finally got the call to represent Sweden in the 2008 World Championships, in which he did not disappoint, scoring two goals and two assists in seven games.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1994–95	Boden			13	0	0	0	0		2	0	0	0	0
1995–96	Boden			30	2	7	9	26		2	0	1	1	2
1996–97	Brynäs	SEL		47	1	1	2	16		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Brynäs	SEL		46	2	4	6	95		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Brynäs	SEL		46	2	4	6	52		14	0	0	0	8
1999–00	Brynäs	SEL		48	7	9	16	73		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Cincinnati Cyclones	IHL		8	1	2	3	4		3	0	0	0	2
2000–01	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		37	2	3	5	21		3	0	0	0	2
2001–02	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		52	1	2	3	36		23	2	1	3	12
2002–03	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		77	2	8	10	71		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		57	3	7	10	51		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Luleå	SEL		39	6	7	13	89		3	0	1	1	6
2005–06	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		50	4	4	8	42		25	1	4	5	14
2006–07	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		67	2	8	10	48		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		66	2	6	8	54		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		64	2	8	10	42		18	0	0	0	4
2009–10	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		47	0	5	5	26		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	San Jose Sharks	NHL		23	0	2	2	23		6	0	0	0	2
2010–11	San Jose Sharks	NHL		74	3	5	8	46		18	1	3	4	10
NHL totals				614	21	58	79	460		93	4	8	12	44

International statistics

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-
2008	Sweden	WC	4th		7	2	2	4	33	+1

External links

• Niclas Wallin's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Niclas Wallin profile at Eurohockey.com
• Niclas Wallin's player profile at NHL.com