Ohlund Article - Ohlund on Naslund's Jersey retirement

OK, so I'm playing a bit o' catchup. Won't post about Ohlie's Oct knee related missed attendance but I can always count on Iain M to write an Ohlund piece (Van Sun Dec 10/10). Man, I wish I could've been here to watch the ceremony. I wonder if someone youtubed it. Hmm..

Blue-liner bolts back to Vancouver for first time in rival's jersey
Mattias Ohlund is excited to witness Naslund's jersey retirement, but says he's thinking more about his health and less about homecoming

It is the long-overdue return of one of the greatest Canucks, the Swede who came to regard Vancouver as home and bled his team's many-changing colours for more than a decade.

Finally, there will be acknowledgment what this warrior did for the National Hockey League team. Hopefully, Markus Naslund won't mind sharing the spotlight for a second or two Saturday with Mattias Ohlund.

Ohlund will be an honoured guest at Naslund's retirement ceremony, but won't be wearing a tuxedo as he'll be playing against the Canucks about an hour later.

The 34-year-old defencemen is playing in Vancouver for the first time since a seven-year free-agent contract took him to the Tampa Bay Lightning 17 months ago.

"The one thing you do miss is being in a hockey market," Ohlund said before the Lightning travelled to Edmonton for tonight's game against the Oilers. "Our fans in Tampa are very good but we play a lot of games [in the Southeast Division] against teams like Atlanta and Florida, which are struggling attendance-wise.

"So that's one thing you miss -- playing games in hockey markets like Calgary and Edmonton and, of course, Vancouver. But the fans in Tampa have been great. The attendance at our games is not that different than Vancouver."

Ohlund said he is looking forward to seeing his friend Naslund honoured before tonight's game, but actually hasn't spent much time thinking about his return to Vancouver.

The Lightning have played a pile of road games since October -- Tampa is near the end of a 21-game stretch that included only five home dates -- and Ohlund is trying to find health and form following off-season knee surgery.

He missed the first eight games of the season, the third time in four years Ohlund has had a significant injury setback, and he may not get anywhere near the end of that $26.25-million contract that expires when he is 39.

"I've been struggling with injuries the last few years, so I'm just taking it a day at a time," Ohlund said. "I enjoy hockey as much as I did seven or eight years ago, but health-wise, as you get older, it becomes more of an issue."

Ohlund's average ice time of 18:13 is four minutes fewer than last season and nearly seven minutes below his career average. He has just two assists in 20 games, and hasn't scored a goal since leaving the Canucks.

His 11 seasons in Vancouver included 770 games and 325 points, the most by a Canuck defenceman. It's quite possible had he re-signed in Vancouver and surpassed 1,000 games, Ohlund's number might have been retired, too, because there isn't much debate he was the best defenceman in team history.

And yet, Ohlund said he is happy in Tampa and has no regrets about leaving.

"It was time for me to move on," he said. "I was ready for the change."

Ohlund said he was in Vancouver last May so his son, Victor, could have continuing nonlife threatening treatment at BC Children's Hospital. The family, which includes his daughter Hannah and wife Linda, is planning a Vancouver vacation next summer.

"We didn't have a ton of playoff success, but we had some great teams there," Ohlund said. "I'm very happy for Markus and excited to be a small part of that event. He's a great person, got a great family and I'm very happy for him."

Saturday's ceremony begins at 6:10 p.m. to accommodate NHL guidelines that demand pre-game retirement ceremonies be finished before regular warm-up times for the teams. CBC has moved the opening faceoff to 7:30 p.m., so a packaged version of Naslund's ceremony can be televised nationally, starting about 7 p.m.

Well Shucks, it's been half a year already

I knew it had been some time since I did any Ohlund related posting but I had no idea that half a year had gone by already! My goodness. Unfortunately, the absence was due to health issues in the family, some travel and finally, an intercontinental move.

I am back in Van for the holidays so Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ohlund Photos - Changed my computer

Well, in addition to all of my personal life changes, I've also changed computers and don't know if I can do any further updates to the Mattias Ohlund Appreciation Page. Anyhoo, here're some Ohlie photos. I have missed soooo many.

Naslund's Jersey Retirement on Dec 11, 2010

I would love to be at the game on December 11, 2010 to see Naslund's jersey being retired. It'll be a night when Tampa Bay and Mattias Ohlund will be playing in Vancouver. TPTB probably planned that. Definitely nice and respectful of the decision makers to decide to retire Nazzy's jersey. Good on them. He deserves it.

I still feel heartbroken over the 2005/06 year... even years after the fact. =(

New Ohlund baby and the Hart trophy

Looks like the Ohlunds are going to be expecting in July. Still not sure if Ohlie's still on crutches but he was at early June. See Magnus Tosser's Swedish article June 5, 2010. Well, at least try to understand google's translated version.. haha!

And it was nice that Henrik Sedin thanked Ohlie (along with Markus Naslund, Trent Klatt and Trevor Linden) in his acceptance speech for the Hart trophy.

Here's Hank's acceptance speech, word for word (aftonbladet.se):
Henrik Sedins tacktal – ord för ord:

"Tack så mycket. Jag antar att jag måste vara riktigt snabb här... Jag vill tacka Canucks-organisationen. Aquilini-familjen som är här ikväll. Mike Gillis och klubbledningen. Våra underbara tränare, och självklart mina lagkamrater. Utan er skulle jag inte vara här i kväll.

Tack till alla fans i Vancouver. Vi är lyckligt lottade som får spela i en sådan stad, och ni har varit ett väldigt starkt stöd de senaste tio åren eller så. Min hustru Johanna, mina två söner – tack för att ni finns där för mig. Mamma och pappa, tack för alla uppoffringar ni gjort genom åren. Mina två äldre bröder, för att ni lät oss spela med er trots att vi var väldigt irriterande småsyskon.

Jag vill också tacka några före detta lagkamrater. Markus Näslund, Mattias Öhlund, Trent Klatt, Trevor Linden, för att ni tog hand om oss de första åren.

Också, tack till Daniel... Det finns inte en chans att du kan säga att du är en bättre spelare än mig nu, så... Tack!"

Update on Ohlie... late May

So I heard through the grapevine that Ohlie had flown into Van recently for his son. E Pap reported that he and Viktor were in the pressbox watching one of the Canucks playoff games against Chicago. Now, I see that he's undergone surgery, according to Erik Erlendsson..

OHLUND ON CRUTCHES: Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund underwent a minor procedure on his right leg and is walking on crutches. A team spokesman said the surgery is not related to the ankle injury Ohlund had this season. He should be ready for training camp in September.

Ohlund may be out for the rest of the season

I miss Ohlie playing for the Canucks. I went to a game last week and though we won and it was exciting (at least the first period was), it was all very meh without Ohlie. I was pretty disappointed when the Swedes were bumped off the Olympic gold running. I think it was injuries and underlying flu but who knows?

In Ohlie news, apparently he hasn't skated since colliding with Christian Hanson (who?) from Toronto last Thursday. Another ankle injury. Not sure if it's the same ankle that was sprained from November.

Ohlund scores for Sweden

Why wasn't the Sweden game televised?? Anyway, Ohlie scored in their game against Germany February 17, 2010.

Ohlie's first game against the Canucks

Well.. I missed the ppv game last night with Tampa Bay and Vancouver meeting up for the first time with Ohlund on the Lightning side. I miss him. Lightning won 3-1.

When interviewed, Ohlie was intent to play a physical defensive to the Sedins' offensive but did acknowledge that it would be best to avoid a Henrik Zetterberg situation (injuring a soon to be fellow Swedish Olympic teammate). I guess he was micced (sp?) up for the game. Sad to have missed it!

On Canucks news, the Canucks are first in the Northwest division.