P.J. Axelsson
Encyclopedia
Anders Per-Johan Axelsson (born 26 February 1975), commonly abbreviated to P. J. Axelsson, is a Swedish professional ice hockey
player with Frölunda HC
of the Swedish Elitserien
. His nickname in Sweden is "Pebben". He was the longest-tenured Bruin at the time of his departure from the NHL
, having been with the Boston team from 1997–2009
.
Axelsson plays as a left winger. Although he has not gained the reputation of a premier goal scorer, Axelsson's gritty, unrelenting attitude as a solid, defensive-minded forward, and his ability to make smart plays on the ice, has made him a fan favourite of the Boston Bruins
, Frölunda HC
, and the Swedish national team, Tre Kronor.
, in the Swedish Elitserien
before being drafted 177th overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
by the Boston Bruins
.
Axelsson played all 82 games in his rookie season with the Bruins, helping them to reach the playoffs after the Bruins had missed out the previous season. He was one of the Bruins' key skill players during his career with them.
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout Axelsson played for Frölunda HC
in Sweden and helped the team become the champion of Elitserien. After the lockout, he returned to the United States to rejoin the Bruins. He became an Olympic champion
with Sweden
at the 2006 Winter Olympics
.
On 23 March 2006, he signed a three year extension to his contract with the Boston Bruins.
On 21 February 2008, Axelsson played his 700th NHL game, in Sunrise, Florida, a 5–4 shootout win over the Florida Panthers
.
After helping the Bruins to the Eastern Conference semifinals during the 2008–09 NHL season
, Axelsson signed a four year contract with Frölunda HC
on 27 July 2009. Upon his return, he was named as one of two alternate captain
s for the team.
and football.
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...
player with Frölunda HC
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
of the Swedish Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
. His nickname in Sweden is "Pebben". He was the longest-tenured Bruin at the time of his departure from the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, having been with the Boston team from 1997–2009
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...
.
Axelsson plays as a left winger. Although he has not gained the reputation of a premier goal scorer, Axelsson's gritty, unrelenting attitude as a solid, defensive-minded forward, and his ability to make smart plays on the ice, has made him a fan favourite of the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, Frölunda HC
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
, and the Swedish national team, Tre Kronor.
Playing career
Axelsson played four seasons for his hometown team, Frölunda HCFrölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
, in the Swedish Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
before being drafted 177th overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
1995 NHL Entry Draft
The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Edmonton Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. Instead, a draft lottery was instituted in which the winner of the lottery could move...
by the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
.
Axelsson played all 82 games in his rookie season with the Bruins, helping them to reach the playoffs after the Bruins had missed out the previous season. He was one of the Bruins' key skill players during his career with them.
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout Axelsson played for Frölunda HC
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
in Sweden and helped the team become the champion of Elitserien. After the lockout, he returned to the United States to rejoin the Bruins. He became an Olympic champion
Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics
-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
with Sweden
Swedish national men's ice hockey team
The Swedish men's national ice hockey team, or Tre Kronor , as it is called in Sweden, is one of the most successful ice hockey teams in the world...
at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
.
On 23 March 2006, he signed a three year extension to his contract with the Boston Bruins.
On 21 February 2008, Axelsson played his 700th NHL game, in Sunrise, Florida, a 5–4 shootout win over the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
.
After helping the Bruins to the Eastern Conference semifinals during the 2008–09 NHL season
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...
, Axelsson signed a four year contract with Frölunda HC
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
on 27 July 2009. Upon his return, he was named as one of two alternate captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
s for the team.
Off the ice
Axelsson is married and has two children, a daughter named Wilma and a son named Wilson. In his spare time he enjoys golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and football.
Career achievements
- Bronze medal at the Ice Hockey World ChampionshipsIce Hockey World ChampionshipsThe Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
in 2001 and 2002. - Silver medal at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 2003 and 2004.
- Elitserien champion with Frölunda HCFrölunda HCFrölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
in 2005. - Gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2006.
Regular season and playoffs
| 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 | ||
| 1993–94 | Västra Frölunda HC Frölunda HC Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the... |
SEL Elitserien Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden... |
11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1994–95 | Västra Frölunda HC | SEL | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Västra Frölunda HC | SEL | 36 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1996–97 | Västra Frölunda HC | SEL | 50 | 19 | 15 | 34 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
82 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 38 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1998–99 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 77 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1999–00 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 81 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 81 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2002–03 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 66 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2003–04 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 Elitserien season The 2004–05 Elitserien season was the 30th season of Elitserien. It started on September 20, 2004, with the regular season ending March 1, 2005. The playoffs of the 81st Swedish Championship ended on April 11, with Frölunda HC taking the championship.... |
Frölunda HC | SEL | 33 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 83 | 14 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 18 | ||
| 2005–06 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 59 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 55 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 75 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 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... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 75 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 Elitserien season The 2009–10 Elitserien season was the 35th season of Elitserien. It started on September 21, 2009 and ended on March 13, 2010. The playoffs started on March 18, 2010 and ended on April 24, 2010. HV71 won the playoffs, beating Timrå IK 4–1 in the quarter final series, Skellefteå AIK 4–1 in the semi... |
Frölunda HC | SEL | 47 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 51 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| SEL totals | 197 | 55 | 46 | 101 | 200 | 43 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 34 | ||||
| NHL totals | 797 | 103 | 184 | 287 | 276 | 54 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 24 | ||||