Joel Lundqvist

Joel Lundqvist
Born	(1982-03-02) 2 March 1982 Åre, Sweden
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
SEL team Former teams	Frölunda HC Dallas Stars
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	68th overall, 2000 Dallas Stars
Playing career	2000–present

Joel Lundqvist (born 2 March 1982 in Åre, Sweden) is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre, currently playing for Frölunda HC of Swedish Hockey League (SHL, former Elitserien ). He serves as the team's captain.

Early life

Joel and identical twin brother Henrik, a goalie with the New York Rangers of the NHL, were born to Eva Johansson and Peter Lundqvist. They grew up in Åre, Jämtland, an area where alpine skiing is the most popular winter activity, but Henrik and Joel chose to play ice hockey over the more popular winter sports. During the winters their kindergarten teachers used the kindergarten's 9 meters × 3 meters (30 ft × 10 ft) sandpit to freeze an outdoor ice rink where the twins would frequently skate. Their interest in hockey grew even larger when their father Peter took the twins to see Frölunda HC play in Scandinavium, Gothenburg. Peter worked for a company who sponsored Frölunda, and Henrik and Joel saw many games in Scandinavium and Frölunda became their favourite team. In 1990 Henrik and Joel joined Järpens IF and started playing organized hockey for the first time. During one practice when the coach asked if anyone wanted to be a goaltender Joel grabbed and raised Henrik's arm and said that his brother would like to. In 1993 the family moved to Båstad, Scania, in southern Sweden to support their older sister Gabriella's tennis career. Henrik and Joel joined local team Rögle BK, and were both selected for Scania's regional team in Sverigepucken in 1995. Henrik was selected to play for Scania in TV-pucken in 1996, and in 1997 when Joel was also selected. During the 1997–98 season Henrik and Joel were extensively scouted by Frölunda, and while playing for Rögle in the 1998 Scandinavium Cup in Gothenburg, Frölunda's junior team manager and U16 coach Janne Karlsson contacted their father, who told Henrik and Joel about Frölunda's interest in them while driving home to Båstad.^[1]

Playing career

He was selected by the Dallas Stars in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft (3rd round, 68th overall) and signed a one year entry level two way contract with them in May 2006. He started his 2006 season in Iowa Stars scoring 38 points in 40 games but was called up and played his first game in Dallas on 3 December 2006. Lundqvist played 7 games in his first NHL playoff series, scoring two goals, and was assigned back to Iowa when Dallas was eliminated.

Lundqvist scored his first career NHL goal against the Calgary Flames on 17 January 2007.

His identical twin brother Henrik had a successful rookie season as goaltender for the New York Rangers in the 2005–06 season, and continues to be one of the league's best goaltenders. He was afforded the opportunity to play his twin brother on December 14, 2006, in Dallas. It was the first time that a goaltender faced his twin. He and his brother are only the third set of twins to play each other in an NHL game in the history of the league.

In 2011 Lundqvist became the October nominee for Guldpucken.^[2]

International play

Joel Lundqvist

Medal record
Competitor for  Sweden
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
Gold	2013 Sweden/Finland
Gold	2006 Riga
Bronze	2009 Berne
World U18 Championships
Bronze	2000 Kloten

Played for Sweden in:

• 2006 IIHF World Championships (gold medal)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

See also

• Notable families in the NHL

References

External links

• Joel Lundqvist's career statistics at EliteProspects.com
• Joel Lundqvist's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Joel Lundqvist – player profile and career stats at European Hockey.Net