"It's a huge honor and it sounds unreal when you say 'Sweden's best hockey player'. It's very prestigious, especially when you look at those who have won the prize before", says Gustav Forsling in a press release from the Swedish Ice Hockey Association.
The 28-year-old defenseman, who has played for Linköping in SHL, is somewhat of a hidden gem in the star-studded NHL but impressed greatly last season. Forsling had, among other things, the best plus/minus statistics of all players in the regular season with plus 56 goals.
In late June, Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup title ever in the club's 30-year history. In addition to Forsling, Swedish players Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Kevin Stenlund were also part of the championship team.
The Guldpucken has been awarded by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association and Expressen since 1956.
2023-24: Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
2022-23: Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks
2021-22: Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
2020-21: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
2019-20: No prize (due to the coronavirus pandemic)
2018-19: Robin Lehner, New York Islanders
2017-18: William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights
2016-17: Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
2015-16: Erik Karlsson, Ottawa
2014-15: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay
