Ole-Kristian Tollefsen
Encyclopedia
Ole-Kristian Tollefsen is a Norwegian professional ice hockey
defenceman currently playing for Modo
in Elitserien
.
Tollefsen was selected to play for the Norway men's national ice hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics
.
, to attend the Norwegian College of Elite Sport. In Lillehammer, he is known as "Læfsa"
. Tollefsen played with Lillehammer Ishockeyklubb
for two seasons, spending most of that time on the senior team, instead of any of the club's two junior teams where a player his age should have spent that stage of their career. During the 2001–02 season, he was a regular in the team's starting lineup as they reached fourth place in the Norwegian Elite League
, and reached the playoff semi-finals for a bronze medal. He also played for both the junior teams in their playoffs, getting a silver medal with the Elder Junior (Under-20) team, and the gold medal with the Younger Junior (U-18) team. The medals were the last thing he accomplished in the Norwegian league system thus far in his career.
in the third round, 65th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
, something that made him one of the highest-drafted Norwegians ever (incidentally, the highest-drafted Norwegian ever, Dallas Stars
prospect Marius Holtet
, went in the second round, as the 42nd overall pick in the same draft).
The next stop for Tollefsen was the Western Hockey League
(WHL), where he played the next two seasons for the Brandon Wheat Kings
. During his time in the WHL, he showed that he could adapt to the North American style of play. His physical style of play showed on the 2003–04 Blue Jackets training camp, when one of his hits put star player Geoff Sanderson
out of play for a couple of weeks with an injury.
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout season, Tollefsen had signed for the Blue Jackets, but spent most of the season with the Syracuse Crunch
of the American Hockey League
(AHL), but also had a short trip to the East Coast Hockey League where he played for the Dayton Bombers
.
. He played an additional four games for the Blue Jackets, with two penalty minutes, before he was sent down to Syracuse again, where he spent the rest of the season.
He played in 70 of the Blue Jackets' games in the 2006–07 season. On November 10, he, and fellow Norwegian NHL player Patrick Thoresen
played in the first NHL game ever to have two Norwegian players facing each other, when the Blue Jackets hosted Thoresen's Edmonton Oilers
. In Ken Hitchcock
's debut as the coach for the Blue Jackets, a November 24 away game against the Philadelphia Flyers
, Tollefsen had his first career NHL point when he assisted on Jason Chimera
's second period goal, he scored his first goal against the Chicago Blackhawks
on March 20, 2007. He started a scoring streak when he forced overtime against Detroit Red Wings
in the next game, tying Espen Knutsen
's Norwegian NHL record. He accumulated 123 penalty minutes during the season, including fights against Mark Smith, Joffrey Lupul
, Jordin Tootoo
, and Bill Guerin
.
On July 30, 2009, Tollefsen signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers
.
On February 6, 2010, Tollefsen, along with a 5th round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
, was traded to the Detroit Red Wings
for Finnish forward Ville Leino
.
in the head during the quarterfinal play-in game on February 23, 2010.
, Anders Myrvold
, Espen Knutsen
, Patrick Thoresen
, Jonas Holøs
and Mats Zuccarello Aasen
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman currently playing for Modo
MODO Hockey
Modo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...
in Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
.
Tollefsen was selected to play for the Norway men's national ice hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
.
Early career
Ole-Kristian Tollefsen started his ice hockey career playing for Nes IK's youth teams, after one of his friends had talked him into it. He played for teams in the club until he turned 16, when he moved to LillehammerLillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, to attend the Norwegian College of Elite Sport. In Lillehammer, he is known as "Læfsa"
Lefse
Lefse is a traditional soft, Norwegian flatbread. Lefse is made out of potato, milk or cream and flour, and cooked on a griddle. Special tools are available for lefse baking, including long wooden turning sticks and special rolling pins with deep grooves.-Flavoring:There are many ways of...
. Tollefsen played with Lillehammer Ishockeyklubb
Lillehammer I.K.
Lillehammer Ishockeyklubb is an ice hockey club based in Lillehammer, Norway and playing in the GET-ligaen. Home games are played in Kristins Hall. Team colours are red, blue and white....
for two seasons, spending most of that time on the senior team, instead of any of the club's two junior teams where a player his age should have spent that stage of their career. During the 2001–02 season, he was a regular in the team's starting lineup as they reached fourth place in the Norwegian Elite League
GET-ligaen
GET-ligaen is the premier Norwegian ice hockey league, organised by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation. The league was known as 1. divisjon until 1990, when it was reorganized and named Eliteserien . That name was held until 2004 when cable TV company UPC became main sponsor...
, and reached the playoff semi-finals for a bronze medal. He also played for both the junior teams in their playoffs, getting a silver medal with the Elder Junior (Under-20) team, and the gold medal with the Younger Junior (U-18) team. The medals were the last thing he accomplished in the Norwegian league system thus far in his career.
Draft and major junior hockey
After that impressive season, Tollefsen was drafted by the Columbus Blue JacketsColumbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the third round, 65th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
, something that made him one of the highest-drafted Norwegians ever (incidentally, the highest-drafted Norwegian ever, Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
prospect Marius Holtet
Marius Holtet
Marius Holtet is a Norwegian professional ice hockey forward. He signed a contract with the Färjestads BK in Sweden prior to the 2008/09 season....
, went in the second round, as the 42nd overall pick in the same draft).
The next stop for Tollefsen was the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL), where he played the next two seasons for the Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
. During his time in the WHL, he showed that he could adapt to the North American style of play. His physical style of play showed on the 2003–04 Blue Jackets training camp, when one of his hits put star player Geoff Sanderson
Geoff Sanderson
Geoff M. Sanderson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger, most notably for the Hartford Whalers and Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League . Sanderson is currently a scout for the New York Islanders...
out of play for a couple of weeks with an injury.
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout season, Tollefsen had signed for the Blue Jackets, but spent most of the season with the Syracuse Crunch
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL), but also had a short trip to the East Coast Hockey League where he played for the Dayton Bombers
Dayton Bombers
The Dayton Bombers were an ECHL ice hockey team located in Dayton, Ohio. The team most recently was in the North Division of the ECHL's American Conference....
.
NHL career
For the 2005–06 season he started the season in the AHL, but on November 23, he got his NHL debut in a 4–2 loss against the Phoenix CoyotesPhoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. He played an additional four games for the Blue Jackets, with two penalty minutes, before he was sent down to Syracuse again, where he spent the rest of the season.
He played in 70 of the Blue Jackets' games in the 2006–07 season. On November 10, he, and fellow Norwegian NHL player Patrick Thoresen
Patrick Thoresen
Patrick Thoresen is a Norwegian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League . He resides in Hamar, Norway, where he grew up, during the off season. He has a younger brother, Steffen who's also an ice hockey player...
played in the first NHL game ever to have two Norwegian players facing each other, when the Blue Jackets hosted Thoresen's Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. In Ken Hitchcock
Ken Hitchcock
Ken Hitchcock also known as "Hitch" is an NHL hockey coach and pro scout, currently coaching the St. Louis Blues.-Early Years:...
's debut as the coach for the Blue Jackets, a November 24 away game against the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Tollefsen had his first career NHL point when he assisted on Jason Chimera
Jason Chimera
Jason Chimera is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and an alternate captain for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League .-Pre-NHL:Chimera played his junior career in the WHL, for Medicine Hat and Brandon...
's second period goal, he scored his first goal against the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
on March 20, 2007. He started a scoring streak when he forced overtime against Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in the next game, tying Espen Knutsen
Espen Knutsen
Kjell Espen Knutsen is a Norwegian former professional ice hockey player and currently the head coach of Vålerenga in the Norwegian GET-ligaen. He played five seasons in the National Hockey League , and is to date the only Norwegian to have played in the NHL All-Star Game...
's Norwegian NHL record. He accumulated 123 penalty minutes during the season, including fights against Mark Smith, Joffrey Lupul
Joffrey Lupul
Joffrey Douglas Sheldon Lupul is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Jordin Tootoo
Jordin Tootoo
Jordin John Kudluk Tootoo is a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League . He is both the first Inuk player and the first player who grew up in Nunavut to participate in an NHL game....
, and Bill Guerin
Bill Guerin
William Robert Guerin is an American former professional ice hockey player and current player development coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Guerin played eighteen seasons in the National Hockey League winning two Stanley Cup championships with the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins teams...
.
On July 30, 2009, Tollefsen signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
On February 6, 2010, Tollefsen, along with a 5th round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
2011 NHL Entry Draft
The 2011 NHL Entry Draft was the 49th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 24–25, 2011, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was the first time the Draft was held in the state of Minnesota since the Minnesota North Stars hosted the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.The top three picks consisted...
, was traded to the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
for Finnish forward Ville Leino
Ville Leino
Ville Leino is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who plays for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League .-Finland:Leino started playing hockey at age 17 for his hometown team SaPKo in the Suomi-sarja...
.
International
Tollefsen played in three matches for Norway during the 2010 Winter Olympics, with no points. He received a 25-minute penalty after checking Slovakia’s Ľuboš BartečkoLubos Bartecko
Ľuboš Bartečko is a Slovak professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Slovak team Lev Poprad in the Kontinental Hockey League.-Playing career:...
in the head during the quarterfinal play-in game on February 23, 2010.
Personal
Tollefsen is one of only seven Norwegians to ever play in the NHL, the others being Bjørn SkaareBjørn Skaare
Bjørn Skaare was a Norwegian ice hockey player. He was the first Norwegian to play in the NHL, playing a single game with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1978–79 NHL season.-Playing career:...
, Anders Myrvold
Anders Myrvold
Anders Myrvold is a Norwegian ice hockey player, currently playing for Norwegian GET-ligaen club Frisk Tigers. He made his National Hockey League debut for the Colorado Avalanche on 6 October 1995, and has been part of the Norwegian national team...
, Espen Knutsen
Espen Knutsen
Kjell Espen Knutsen is a Norwegian former professional ice hockey player and currently the head coach of Vålerenga in the Norwegian GET-ligaen. He played five seasons in the National Hockey League , and is to date the only Norwegian to have played in the NHL All-Star Game...
, Patrick Thoresen
Patrick Thoresen
Patrick Thoresen is a Norwegian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League . He resides in Hamar, Norway, where he grew up, during the off season. He has a younger brother, Steffen who's also an ice hockey player...
, Jonas Holøs
Jonas Holøs
Jonas Holøs is a Norwegian professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Swedish Elitserien...
and Mats Zuccarello Aasen
Mats Zuccarello Aasen
Mats André Zuccarello Aasen is a Norwegian professional ice hockey winger who plays for the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League . Before he signed with the American team, he played for Modo Hockey in the Swedish Elitserien for two seasons...
.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2002–03 | Brandon Wheat Kings Brandon Wheat Kings The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
43 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 73 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 38 | ||
| 2003–04 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 53 | 3 | 27 | 30 | 94 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 15 | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Syracuse Crunch Syracuse Crunch The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
64 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 115 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Dayton Bombers Dayton Bombers The Dayton Bombers were an ECHL ice hockey team located in Dayton, Ohio. The team most recently was in the North Division of the ECHL's American Conference.... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 58 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 155 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2005–06 | Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 70 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 123 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 51 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 111 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 18 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Grand Rapids Griffins Grand Rapids Griffins The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.... |
AHL | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 Elitserien season - HV71 vs. AIK:- Färjestads BK vs. Brynäs IF:- Skellefteå AIK vs. Linköpings HC:- Luleå HF vs. Djurgårdens IF:*Note: Game 6 was played in the Ericsson Globe.- Färjestads BK vs. AIK:... |
Modo Hockey MODO Hockey Modo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006... |
SEL Elitserien Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden... |
43 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 163 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 296 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||