Does Peter Forsberg Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Peter Forsberg combined elite passing with elite defensive ability and elite effort. His offensive rate statistics put him among the very best centres in the history of the NHL. Add to that his defense, and it feels as though he has a case to be considered one of the best centres to ever play the game.

Listen to us discuss Peter Forsberg:

Full disclosure: Peter Forsberg was one of our favourite players growing up.

Peter Forsberg’s Career

• NHL: 1994-2007 with comebacks in 2008 (9 games) and 2011 (2 games); 13-ish seasons, 10 quality
• Totals:
  • 249G (11th Swede All Time),
  • 636A (6th) for
  • 885P (6th),
  • +238 (2nd) in
  • 708 games;
  • 20:15 ATOI (since 1998-99),
  • 98 PS
• Forsberg is 4th All Time in APG and 8th in PPG
• In his draft class (1991), Forsberg, drafted 6th overall is
  • 31st in Games but
  • 9th in Goals,
  • 2nd in Assists,
  • 3rd in Points and
  • 1st in Plus Minus
• Era: Of the hundreds of players to play in at least 500 games between 1994 and 2007, Forsberg is
  • 41st in Goals
  • 31st in GPG
  • 3rd in Assists
  • 1st in APG
  • 5th in Points
  • 2nd in PPG and Plus/Minus
  • 8th in Offensive Point Shares
  • 14th in Point Shares
  • Despite being 159th in games played
• 82-game average: 29G, 74A for 103P, +26
• 3-year peak (2002-06): 32G, 80A for 111P
• Possession (since 2007-08 – 11 games total):
  • 43.8% Corsi For,
  • -5.4% Relative Corsi For,
  • 43.9% Fenwick For,
  • -8.2% Relative Fenwick For
• Playoffs:
  • 64G (20th All Time),
  • 107 (20th) for
  • 171P (18th) in
  • 151 games;
  • 20:04 ATOI (since 1998-99)
  • Per Game:
    • 13th All Time in playoff APG
    • 10th All Time in playoff PPG
  • Era: 96 players to play in at least 82 playoff games between 1994 and 2007, Forsberg is
    • 2nd in playoff Goals
    • 4th in playoff GPG
    • 1st in playoff Assists
    • 1st in playoff APG
    • 2nd in playoff Points
    • 2nd in playoff PPG
    • 1st in playoff Plus/Minus (by 13)
• Adjusted:
  • Hockey-Reference:
    • 278G,
    • 699A for
    • 977P
    • Adjusted 82-game average: 32G, 81A for 113P
    • Per Gaame:
      • 4th All Time in Adjusted APG
      • 6th All Time in Adjusted PPG
  • VsX:
    • Goals: not enough to qualify (882-724=158)
    • Assists: 724
    • Points: 882
    • Per Game:
      • Does not qualify for GPG
      • 16th All Time in VsX Adjusted APG
      • Not in Top 25 for PPG
• Trades:
  • Traded, having just turned 19, with Steve Duchesne (27), Kerry Huffman (24), Mike Ricci (18), Ron Hextall (28), 1993 First Rounder (Jocelyn Thibault), $15 million and future considerations (Chris Simon and a 1994 First Rounder) to the Nordiques for Eric Lindros (19)
  • Traded at 33 to the Pradators for Scottie Upshall (23), Ryan Parent (19) and a 2007 First Rounder (Jonathon Blum) and Third Rounder (nobody)

Peter Forsberg’s Accomplishments

• Hart (’03)
• Calder (’95)
• Art Ross (’03)
• Top 5 in Selke voting twice
• Back Check MVP (’03)
• Back Check Best Player (’03)
• Top Player:
  • Top 5 Player (by PS) once (’03)
  • Top 5 Offensive Player once (’03),
  • Top 10 three times (’98, ’99)
• Goals:
  • 30 goals twice,
  • 25 goals six times
• Assists:
  • Leader-boards:
    • Led the league in Assists once,
    • Top 5 four times,
    • Top 10 seven times
  • APG leader-boards:
    • Led the league in APG three times,
    • Top 5 nine times
  • Single-season totals:
    • Tallied 80 assists once,
    • 70 assists twice,
    • 60 assists five times (1 of only 25 players to do so),
    • 50 assists seven times,
    • 40 assists eight times
• Points:
  • Leader-boards:
    • Led the league in Points once,
    • Top 5 four times,
    • Top 10 five times
  • PPG leader-boards:
    • Led the league in PPG twice,
    • Top 5 five times,
    • Top 10 eight times
  • Single-season totals:
    • Scored 110 points once,
    • 100 points twice,
    • 90 points four times,
    • 80 points six times,
    • 70 points seven times,
    • 50 points eleven times
• Plus Minus:
  • Led the league in Plus Minus once,
  • Top 10 three times
• All Star:
  • 1st Team All Star three times,
  • 1st Team All Rookie
  • 5 All Star Game appearances
  • Three Stars:
    • Rookie of the Month once
• VsX:
  • Best 7 Seasons:
    • Goals: does not qualify
    • Assists: 23rd All Time
    • Points: 36th All Time
  • Best 10 Seasons:
    • Goals: Does not qualify
    • Assists: 25th All Time
    • Points: 45th All Time
• Playoffs:
  • Led 7 playoff series in Points (t-14th All Time)
  • Top 3 in Points in 17 career playoff series (t-5th All Time – Gretzky, Messier, Crosby, Lemieux)
  • Top 3 in Points in 63% of his career playoff series (5th All Time – Lemieux, Gretzky, McDavid, Bure)
• NON-NHL:
  • Swedish Elite League MVP twice (and player MVP the same two years)

Great Teams

• NHL:
  • Best Player (led playoffs in assists and points) on one Final Four (’02 Avalanche),
  • Best Player (led playoffs in points) on one Final Four (’99 Avalanche),
  • Best Skater on one Final Four (’00 Avalanche),
  • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one Champion (’96 Avalanche),
  • Top 6 Forward (by points) on one Final Four(’97 Avalanche),
  • Injured (but best forward by ATOI) on one Champion (’01 Avalanche)
• Olympics:
  • Best Skater (by points) on one Olympic Champion (’94 Sweden),
  • Top 3? Forward (by points) on one Olympic Champion (’06 Sweden)
• World Champion:
  • Best Skater (won “Best Forward” tournament award) on one World Champion (’98 Sweden) and one Runner Up (‘93 Sweden),
  • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one World Champion (’92 Sweden) and one Runner Up (’03 Sweden),
  • Injured on one World Champion Runner Up (’04 Sweden)
• World Juniors:
  • Best Player (set the tournament record in points) on one World Junior Champion (’93 Sweden),
  • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one WJC Runner Up (’92 Sweden)