The Rangers’ pursuit of Mats Sundin was consistent with the franchise’s historical connection to great Swedish-born players.
There was the circus-like atmosphere surrounding the hunt for Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson when the two WHA Winnipeg Jets linemates became free agents following the 1977-78 season.
The Blueshirts, who lost out to the Canucks for Sundin, signed Hedberg and Nilsson to three-year, $1.2 million contracts following a frenzied bidding war that Garden chief Sonny Werblin refused to lose. Ironically, the Canucks were the runners-up in that free-agent competition.
Hedberg and Nilsson combined on a line with Bobby Hull to lead the Jets to a pair of WHA championships. They were the Swedish version of Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier.
The Swedish connection goes back further than that. When left wing Ulf Sterner skated onto the ice at the old Garden for the Blueshirts against the Bruins on Jan. 27, 1965, he became the first Swedish-born and European-trained player in NHL history.
Nilsson is the greatest Swedish center in Rangers’ history, and Hedberg the greatest right wing. They would be joined on a Blueshirts’ all-time Swedish first line by current left wing Markus Naslund. Ulf Samuelsson and Kjell Samuelsson would form the defense pair.
In goal, Henrik Lundqvist probably would beat out Hardy Astrom for the No. 1 job.