Ulf Sterner
Encyclopedia
Ulf Ivar Erik "Uffe" Sterner (born 11 February 1941 in Värmland
, Sweden
) is a Swedish
retired ice hockey
forward. He played in nine IIHF World Championships for Sweden, where the team won seven medals: one gold, five silver, and one bronze. He was also a member of the silver medal team at the 1964 Winter Olympics
. Sterner played for Forshaga IF from 1956–61, Västra Frölunda IF
from 1961–64, and for the New York Rangers
in 1964–65, before returning to Sweden to play for Rögle BK
and Färjestads BK
. He finished his career in England
with the London Lions
in 1973–74. On 27 January 1965, he became the first European-trained player to play in the National Hockey League
(NHL).
's team. He scored his first goal in that game, which Tre Kronor won 11–3. He was the team's youngest player of all time. Through the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was one of Sweden's most popular players. He is also credited with inventing the "stick to skate to stick" maneuver. At the 1962 World Ice Hockey Championships
, Sterner scored what he described as his most memorable goal when he scored the 3–0 goal against Team Canada. His team won the game 5–3 and took the gold medal. At the 1963 World Championship, he scored a hat trick against Canada in a 4–1 win. After the game, he and teammate Sven "Tumba" Johansson met King Gustaf VI Adolf
and received a royal congratulations.
His first Olympics came in 1960
in Squaw Valley. The team did not earn a medal, but from that point on he was a dominating centre in international play. By 1963, the New York Rangers had taken interest, and in October, Sterner made the trip for training camp. The parties signed a five-game tryout agreement, but Sterner declined to play that season in order to conserve his amateur status for the 1964 Winter Olympics
. The team won a silver medal. Sterner arrived for training camp in 1964 and displayed excellent skills. However, the NHL, unlike the International Ice Hockey Federation
(IIHF), permitted hitting and physical play on any point of the ice; international players were not allowed to hit in the offensive zone. Allowing him time to adjust to the North American game, the Rangers offered him a start with the St. Paul Rangers
of the Central League, which he accepted. After two months, he adapted and earned a promotion to the Baltimore Clippers
of the American Hockey League
. Finally, on 27 January 1965, he joined the Rangers in a game against the Boston Bruins
, becoming the first European to play in the NHL.
Ultimately, Sterner played only four games in the NHL, and he did not register a point. He had been reluctant to play physically or to instigate physical play. He was sent back down to the AHL, and it soon became clear that he was not going to return to the NHL. As much as his skills carried him through games in the AHL, he simply did not have the training to play 60-minute games with full contact. In 1969, the IIHF adopted the same body-checking rules as the NHL, and four years later, Börje Salming
joined the Toronto Maple Leafs
, ending up playing 17 years in the NHL.
, where they keep four horses. He nicknames his horses after former teammates and friends; when one of the horses smashed his nose, he nicknamed it Alexander Ragulin
.
Värmland
' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) is a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
retired ice hockey
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...
forward. He played in nine IIHF World Championships for Sweden, where the team won seven medals: one gold, five silver, and one bronze. He was also a member of the silver medal team at the 1964 Winter Olympics
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
. Sterner played for Forshaga IF from 1956–61, Västra Frölunda IF
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...
from 1961–64, and for the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
in 1964–65, before returning to Sweden to play for Rögle BK
Rögle BK
Rögle Bandyklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey club. They currently play in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second highest league in Sweden. The team has previously played four seasons in Elitserien between 1992–93 and 1995–96 and between 2008–09 and 2009–10....
and Färjestads BK
Färjestads BK
Färjestads Bollklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey team based in Karlstad. Färjestad has had 18 Swedish Championship final appearances, winning nine times since Elitserien was started in 1975. The team plays in the highest Swedish league, and have done so since 1965...
. He finished his career in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with the London Lions
London Lions
The London Lions based out of London, England was an independent professional ice hockey team that played 72 games during the 1973-74 season against the top European hockey teams. It was started by Detroit Red Wings owner Bruce Norris with a vision of building a league to be affiliated with the...
in 1973–74. On 27 January 1965, he became the first European-trained player to play in the National Hockey League
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...
(NHL).
Playing career
Sterner made his hockey debut at 15 when he was accepted onto a second division club where he made a name for himself with his speed and scoring ability. On 12 November 1959, he made his international debut with Tre Kronor in a friendly match against CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
's team. He scored his first goal in that game, which Tre Kronor won 11–3. He was the team's youngest player of all time. Through the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was one of Sweden's most popular players. He is also credited with inventing the "stick to skate to stick" maneuver. At the 1962 World Ice Hockey Championships
1962 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1962 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 29th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Colorado Springs and Denver, United States from March 8 to March 18, 1962. The Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia both boycotted this tournament...
, Sterner scored what he described as his most memorable goal when he scored the 3–0 goal against Team Canada. His team won the game 5–3 and took the gold medal. At the 1963 World Championship, he scored a hat trick against Canada in a 4–1 win. After the game, he and teammate Sven "Tumba" Johansson met King Gustaf VI Adolf
Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden
Gustaf VI Adolf - Oscar Fredrik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf - was King of Sweden from October 29, 1950 until his death. His official title was King of Sweden, of the Goths and of the Wends. He was the eldest son of King Gustaf V and his wife Victoria of Baden...
and received a royal congratulations.
His first Olympics came in 1960
1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
in Squaw Valley. The team did not earn a medal, but from that point on he was a dominating centre in international play. By 1963, the New York Rangers had taken interest, and in October, Sterner made the trip for training camp. The parties signed a five-game tryout agreement, but Sterner declined to play that season in order to conserve his amateur status for the 1964 Winter Olympics
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
. The team won a silver medal. Sterner arrived for training camp in 1964 and displayed excellent skills. However, the NHL, unlike the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
(IIHF), permitted hitting and physical play on any point of the ice; international players were not allowed to hit in the offensive zone. Allowing him time to adjust to the North American game, the Rangers offered him a start with the St. Paul Rangers
St. Paul Rangers
The St. Paul Rangers were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They were one of the original five teams of the Central Professional Hockey League. They were an affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers....
of the Central League, which he accepted. After two months, he adapted and earned a promotion to the Baltimore Clippers
Baltimore Clippers
The Baltimore Clippers were an American ice hockey team. They were the first of three Baltimore entries into the American Hockey League, who played from 1962–76...
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...
. Finally, on 27 January 1965, he joined the Rangers in a game against 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...
, becoming the first European to play in the NHL.
Ultimately, Sterner played only four games in the NHL, and he did not register a point. He had been reluctant to play physically or to instigate physical play. He was sent back down to the AHL, and it soon became clear that he was not going to return to the NHL. As much as his skills carried him through games in the AHL, he simply did not have the training to play 60-minute games with full contact. In 1969, the IIHF adopted the same body-checking rules as the NHL, and four years later, Börje Salming
Börje Salming
Anders Börje Salming , nicknamed "The King", is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League , paving...
joined the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, ending up playing 17 years in the NHL.
Personal life
Sterner, his wife Pia, and their family currently live on a farm near KarlstadKarlstad
Karlstad is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,685 inhabitants in 2010 out of a municipal total that during the first quarter 2010 was 84,885 inhabitants...
, where they keep four horses. He nicknames his horses after former teammates and friends; when one of the horses smashed his nose, he nicknamed it Alexander Ragulin
Alexander Ragulin
Alexander Pavlovich "Rags" Ragulin was a defenseman for the Red Army ice hockey team, CSKA Moscow , a 10 time World Champion, and a 3-time Olympic champion ....
.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | 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 | ||
| 1956–57 | Forshaga IF | Sweden | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1957–58 | Forshaga IF | Sweden | 14 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1958–59 | Forshaga IF | Sweden | 11 | 7 | 8 | 15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Forshaga IF | Sweden | 14 | 17 | 6 | 23 | 14 | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1960–61 | Forshaga IF | Sweden | 13 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1961–62 | Västra Frölunda IF 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... |
Sweden | 13 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 26 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 5 | ||
| 1962–63 | Västra Frölunda IF | Sweden | 14 | 14 | 6 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 1963–64 | Västra Frölunda IF | Sweden | 12 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | ||
| 1964–65 | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of 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... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1964–65 | St. Paul Rangers St. Paul Rangers The St. Paul Rangers were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They were one of the original five teams of the Central Professional Hockey League. They were an affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers.... |
CPHL | 16 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1964–65 1964–65 AHL season The 1964–65 AHL season was the 29th season of the American Hockey League. The league inaugurates the James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding media coverage of the AHL.Nine teams played 72 games each in the schedule... |
Baltimore Clippers Baltimore Clippers The Baltimore Clippers were an American ice hockey team. They were the first of three Baltimore entries into the American Hockey League, who played from 1962–76... |
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... |
52 | 18 | 26 | 44 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1965–66 | Rögle BK Rögle BK Rögle Bandyklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey club. They currently play in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second highest league in Sweden. The team has previously played four seasons in Elitserien between 1992–93 and 1995–96 and between 2008–09 and 2009–10.... |
Sweden | 15 | 32 | 11 | 43 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1966–67 | Rögle BK | Sweden | 19 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 11 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1967–68 | Färjestads BK Färjestads BK Färjestads Bollklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey team based in Karlstad. Färjestad has had 18 Swedish Championship final appearances, winning nine times since Elitserien was started in 1975. The team plays in the highest Swedish league, and have done so since 1965... |
Sweden | 21 | 16 | 8 | 24 | 19 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1968–69 | Västra Frölunda IF | Sweden | 19 | 19 | 20 | 39 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 2 | ||
| 1969–70 | Färjestads BK | Sweden | 17 | 14 | 22 | 36 | – | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 1970–71 | Färjestads BK | Sweden | 6 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 14 | ||
| 1971–72 | Färjestads BK | Sweden | 14 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 28 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 24 | ||
| 1972–73 | Färjestads BK | Sweden | 14 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 23 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 29 | ||
| 1973–74 | London Lions London Lions The London Lions based out of London, England was an independent professional ice hockey team that played 72 games during the 1973-74 season against the top European hockey teams. It was started by Detroit Red Wings owner Bruce Norris with a vision of building a league to be affiliated with the... |
Britain | 34 | 27 | 88 | 115 | 71 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1974–75 | Bäcken HC | Sweden-3 | 24 | 14 | 30 | 44 | 63 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1975–76 | Bäcken HC | Sweden-2 | 22 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 31 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1976–77 | Bäcken HC | Sweden-2 | 24 | 14 | 24 | 38 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1977–78 | Vänersborgs HC | Sweden-3 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 33 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1989–90 | Hammarö HC | Sweden-3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| NHL totals | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | 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,... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 1960 Winter Olympics The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as... |
SWE | OLY | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 1961 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1961 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 28th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland from March 1 to March 12, 1961. Canada, represented by the Trail Smoke Eaters, won their nineteenth international title... |
SWE | WEC-A | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 1962 1962 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1962 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 29th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Colorado Springs and Denver, United States from March 8 to March 18, 1962. The Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia both boycotted this tournament... |
SWE | WEC-A | 7 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 2 |
| 1963 1963 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1963 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 30th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Stockholm, Sweden from March 7 to March 17, 1963... |
SWE | WEC-A | 7 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
| SWE | OLY | 7 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1966 1966 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1966 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 33rd edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Hala Tivoli, Ljubljana, SR Slovenia, Yugoslavia from March 3 to March 14, 1966... |
SWE | WEC-A | 7 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 1967 1967 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1967 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 34th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Vienna, Austria from March 18 to March 29, 1967. For the fifth straight year, the Soviet Union won the tournament.- Final Round :... |
SWE | WEC-A | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 1969 1969 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1969 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 36th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships, which also doubled as the 47th European ice hockey championships. For the first time the Pool A, B and C tournaments were hosted by different nations:... |
SWE | WEC-A | 10 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 8 |
| 1970 1970 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1970 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 37th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. 21 nations participated in three different divisions or pools:-World Championship Group A :*Poland demoted to Pool B.... |
SWE | WEC-A | 10 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| 1971 1971 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1971 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 38th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships, which also doubled as the 49th European ice hockey championships.The Pool-A, Pool-B and Pool-C tournaments were hosted by the following nations:... |
SWE | WEC-A | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 1973 1973 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1973 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 40th Ice Hockey World Championships and the 51st European Championships of ice hockey. The tournament took place in the Soviet Union from 31 March to 15 April and the games were played at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium in the... |
SWE | WEC-A | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| OLY totals | 11 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 0 | ||
| WEC-A totals | 74 | 40 | 33 | 73 | 36 | ||
Coaching
| Team | |Regular season | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Win % | Finish | ||
| Bayreuth SV | 1986–87 | 36 | 21 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 48 | .667 | 3rd in 2.Bundesliga South |
| Munich Hedos | 1987–88 | 36 | 25 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 51 | .708 | 2nd in 2.Bundesliga South |
| Fuessen EV | 1988–89 | 34 | 14 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 33 | .458 | 6th in 2.Bundesliga South |
Awards
- Won the Golden Puck as Sweden's Player of the Year in 1962–63.
- Named the best forward at the IIHF World Championships in 1969.
- Inducted into the IIHF Hall of FameIIHF Hall of FameThe IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which was established by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, when 30 individuals were inducted at the world championships in Helsinki...
in 2001. - WEC-A All-Star Team (1962, 1969)