Viktor Fasth

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Viktor Fasth

Viktor Fasth with AIK
Born (1982-08-08) August 8, 1982
Kalix, Sweden
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight 198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
NHL team
Former teams 		Anaheim Ducks
AIK (SEL)
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2007–present

Erik Sixten Viktor Fasth (born August 8, 1982) is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Viktor Fasth wears number 30 for the Anahiem Ducks. Fasth had his international breakthrough during the 2010–11 season, after signing with AIK in the Swedish Elite League.

Career

Division 2 to HockeyAllsvenskan (2000–2010)

Viktor Fasth with the Växjö Lakers in the 2008–09 season

Viktor Fasth was born in Kalix, but grew up in Vänersborg. As an 18-year-old goaltender, Fasth played with the Brooklyn Tigers (a youth affiliate connected to Luleå HF[1]) in the Swedish Division 2, the fourth-tier league. The following season he played with Vänersborgs HC in the third-tier league Division 1. The following season, in 2002–03, he turned to Tvåstad Cobras HC to return to Division 2. Tvåstad became promoted to Division 1 that season, and Fasth continued to play for them in the 2003–04 season. However, the Tvåstad Cobras HC team was shut down after the 2003–04 season due to financial problems,[2] and Fasth therefore moved to play in Tingsryds AIF in Division 1 for three seasons. In his 2006–07 season with Tingsryd he was the third best goaltender in Division F, with a 92.47% save percentage in 33 games. His biggest success in the team came in that season, when he helped the team reach the Kvalserien qualification for HockeyAllsvenskan for the first time since their relegation to Division 1 in the 2002–03 season. However, the team finished fourth in the Kvalserien qualification and thus remained in Division 1.

Fasth then signed with Växjö Lakers Hockey in the 2007–08 season, at that time in the second-tier league HockeyAllsvenskan, and played there for three seasons. He played well in all of these seasons, placing, in save percentage, second in the 2007–08 season and first in the 2009–10 season.

Elitserien (2010–2012)

After a successful 2009–10 season, which ended with play in the Kvalserien qualification for the Elitserien (SEL), he signed a one-year contract with Elitserien newcomers AIK to make his debut season in Elitserien, the top ice hockey league in Sweden. He was set to be the team's backup goaltender, but injury problems for Christopher Heino-Lindberg forced AIK to start Viktor Fasth. Playing in 42 games, he posted an impressive 92.45% save percentage and placed third in the leading goaltenders league for save percentage. He significantly contributed to AIK's success that season, reaching the semifinals in the playoffs. Viktor Fasth received both the Honken Trophy award and the Guldpucken (Golden Puck) award. In February 2011, Fasth extended his contract with the team by 2 years, which meant the contract was expected expire after the 2012–13 season.[3]

Fasth continued to impress in the 2011–12 season. Once again he finished third in save percentage at 93.14% and he was subsequently awarded the Honken Trophy for the second year in a row. In the playoffs he continued to shut the door, and he and AIK managed to repeat the 2010–11 success, advancing to the semifinals, where they once again were eliminated, this time in seven games.

National Hockey League (2013–present)

On May 21, 2012, Fasth signed a 1-year, one-way $1 million USD deal with the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL).[4][5]

On September 20, 2012, due to the ongoing 2012–13 NHL lockout, Fasth signed to play with his former team Tingsryds AIF of the HockeyAllsvenskan (Swe-2). Fasth played in 12 games for the team, registering an impressive 94.17% save percentage and a 1.68 goals against average (GAA).[6]

In his NHL debut on January 26, 2013, Fasth led the Ducks to a 3-2 shootout victory over the Nashville Predators. Fasth stopped 19 of the 21 shots sent his way, and prevented the Predators from finding the net in the shootout with Martin Erat hitting the crossbar, Fasth stopping Mike Fisher's shot, and swatted the puck out of the air from David Legwand. Corey Perry scored the game-winning goal for the Ducks in the shootout. Fasth found early success in the NHL, starting the season 8–0–0 – the best start by a goaltender in the regular season as a starter since Ray Emery of the Ottawa Senators won his first nine games between the end of 2002–03 and the beginning of the 2003–04 season. Fasth eventually ended the streak in his ninth start on February 25, 2013, with a 2–5 loss against the Los Angeles Kings on the road, also ending a six-game winning streak for the Ducks. With the loss, Fasth failed to match Ray Emery's streak.[7] Fasth further helped the Ducks advance to an 11–2–1 record, their best start since their Stanley Cup-winning 2006–07 season. Fasth finished the regular season with a 15–6–2 record; the Ducks finished with a 30–12–6 record and qualified for the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Ducks were eliminated in the Conference Quarterfinals by the Detroit Red Wings in seven games, with Fasth not playing in any of these seven games.

International career

Viktor Fasth
Medal record
Competitor for Sweden Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships
Silver 2011 Slovakia

After goaltender Stefan Liv declined playing for Sweden in the 2011 World Championship,[8] Fasth was given a chance to play for the Swedish national team. Fasth made his debut for Sweden on April 6, 2011, in an exhibition game against Germany.[9] In the World Championship tournament he helped Sweden reach the final and led the leading goaltenders league until the gold medal game against Finland. However, Sweden lost the final and Fasth allowed 6 goals out of 32 shots in that game, and Fasth therefore landed second in the leading goaltenders league, with a 94.57% save percentage in 7 games and three shutouts, as well as a 1.71 GAA. Despite the loss, Fasth was named the tournament's MVP (most valuable player) and best goalkeeper. He was also selected to the tournament's All-Star Team.

At the 2012 World Championship, Fasth was once again the starting goaltender for the Swedish national team. However, Sweden was eliminated in the quarterfinal against the Czech Republic. In 6 games, Fasth recorded a 90.21% save percentage and a 2.34 GAA; he placed 11th in the save percentage rankings.

Personal life

Fasth is the son of Kenteric Fasth, a former goaltender who played for IFK Vänersborg in the then third-tier Division 2.[10] Fasth lives with his wife Linda Bäcktorp, and they have an apartment located in Johanneshov, Stockholm.[11] The couple gave birth to a daughter in July 2011.[12]

References

  1. ↑ . Retrieved 2013-02-13.
  2. ↑ "Tvåstad Cobras lägger ned sitt A-lag" (in Swedish). Kristianstadsbladet. 2004-05-18. Retrieved 2011-05-16. 
  3. ↑ "Fasth stannar i AIK" (in Swedish). AIK IF. 2011-02-09. Retrieved 2011-05-16. 
  4. ↑ Darren Dreger (2012-05-21). "Fasth Signs with Ducks". Twitter. Retrieved 2012-05-21. 
  5. ↑ Ducks Sign Fasth to One-Year Contract "Ducks Sign Fasth to One-Year Contract". ducks.nhl.com. Anaheim Ducks. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2012-05-22. 
  6. ↑ Sjögren, Patrik (2012-09-20). "Viktor Fasth klar för allsvenska Tingsryd". Sportbladet. Retrieved 2012-09-20. 
  7. ↑ Bjurman, Per (2013-02-26). "Åtta raka – sedan sprack sviten". Sportbladet. Retrieved 2013-02-26. 
  8. ↑ "Stefan Liv tackar nej till VM" (in Swedish). Jnytt. 2011-03-17. Retrieved 2011-05-16. 
  9. ↑ "Viktor Fasth efter Tre Kronor-debuten: "En pojkdröm som gick i uppfyllelse"" (in Swedish). Hockeykanalen. 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2011-05-16. 
  10. ↑ Ulf Thuresson (2011-03-16). "Viktors fantastiska viktoria" (in Swedish). Ttela. Retrieved 2011-07-30. 
  11. ↑ Alf Karlsson (2011-04-20). "Viktor Fasth: "Värsta tiden i mitt hockeyliv"" (in Swedish). Expressen. Retrieved 2011-07-30. 
  12. ↑ Emil Karlsson (2011-07-30). "– Svensson är den nye Fasth" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Retrieved 2011-07-30. 

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Jacob Markström		 Winner of the Honken Trophy
2011, 2012 		Succeeded by
Gustaf Wesslau
Preceded by
Magnus Johansson		 Winner of the Guldpucken
2011 		Succeeded by
Jakob Silfverberg
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