Kristian Huselius is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player who had a successful career in the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was born on November 10, 1978, in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, and began his hockey career playing for Modo Hockey in the SHL.
Huselius was known for his speed, agility, and scoring ability. He was a left-winger who could play on either side of the ice and was a skilled playmaker. He was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the second round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut in the 2000-2001 season.
Huselius played for the Panthers for three seasons before being traded to the Calgary Flames in 2005. He had a breakout season with the Flames in 2006-2007, scoring 34 goals and 43 assists for a total of 77 points. He helped lead the Flames to the playoffs that year, where they were eliminated in the first round.
After two seasons with the Flames, Huselius signed as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008. He played for the Blue Jackets for three seasons, where he continued to be a top scorer for the team. In the 2008-2009 season, he scored 25 goals and 41 assists for a total of 66 points, which was a career-high at the time.
Huselius suffered a series of injuries during his time with the Blue Jackets, including a torn pectoral muscle and a groin injury. He missed significant time during the 2010-2011 season due to injury, but returned for the playoffs, where he helped lead the Blue Jackets to their first-ever playoff win.
Huselius returned to Sweden in 2012 to play for his former team, Modo Hockey. He played for two seasons before retiring from professional hockey in 2014. In total, he played 662 NHL games, scoring 190 goals and 261 assists for a total of 451 points. He also played 305 games in the SHL, scoring 105 goals and 157 assists for a total of 262 points.
Huselius was known for his offensive skills and was a consistent scorer throughout his career. He was also a skilled playmaker and was able to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Despite his injuries, he was able to have a successful career in both the NHL and the SHL and was a fan favorite wherever he played.
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