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***luke*** · 03-06-2024, 07:08 AM

Kristian Eriksson
@raymond3000

Known as the 1st player ever to reach the 1000 points mark. Kristian was more than that. One of the best Toronto North Stars players ever. Eriksson was a one team player. Staying loyal with Toronto, and reaping the rewards. Let's take a look back at Eriksson’s career.

A preface of this piece. In STHS days, going .8 PPG usually indicates having a great career. The average points in a season for a forward was 21 points. To be in the top 20% of forwards it was usually 38-41 points depending on the season. To be top 10% of forwards in points it was usually 45-50 points. To set the stage of Kristians longevity as a player. Of being a good to great player for his career

Drafted with the first pick in the 2nd round(13th OA), Eriksson debuted in the SHL in S21.
S21 started off well for Eriksson, with 14 goals, 19 assists for 33 points. Won't get him nominated for the Jesster, but a solid start. S22 was a letdown, only 27 points. S23 was a bounceback season though. With a career high 20 goals and 19 assists for 39 points. Eriksson was showing why he would be one of the best SHL players.

S24 was the first season above 40 points, scoring 19 goals and 22 assists. Slowly becoming a good two way player, with 129 hits too

S25 was the first of getting awards, and being a PPG player. 21 goals, 29 assists for 50 points, he also had 157 hits too. Earning him his 1st Jeff Dar Nom, as well as a 1st All Star Team.
S26 & S27 showed mixed results, with 37 & 35 points a piece. A dip in ice time as well, he was going through it. S28 though, seemed like he would be right on track again for being an elite player in the league. S28 saw him jump back up in points. 24 goals, 21 assists for 45 points.
S30 showed the 2nd time he hit a PPG pace again. With 24 goals, 28 assists for 52 points.Earning him a 3rd All Star Team. S31 finally saw Eriksson get into peak form. 11 seasons into his career, he had a career defining season. With 27 goals, 35 assists, along with 167 hits. Eriksson won his first and only Ron Mexico Award. He was nominated for the Jeff Dar for the 2nd time as well.1st All Star Team.

After that, he settled into being a consistent player for Toronto. The next 5 seasons(S32-S36) he went 41,43,43,36, and 39 points. Being a top 30-50 player in the league over that time. Over that time, Toronto finally won the Challenge Cup. Being the last of the Original 4 to win a cup. And with that Eriksson won his first cup, and popped off in the finals, scoring 20 points to win the Anton Razov

S37 showed his 2nd wind of a player. Those 5 seasons of being a good to great player, he returned to be a top 10 player in the league. S37 he again went above a PPG. Scoring 21 goals, 34 assists for 55 points. He was a 3rd all star, and was 11th in scoring.
S38 he scored even more goals. 27 goals, 29 assists for 56 points. He was 5th in scoring that season.

S39 He achieved a career high 63 points, and a career high 31 goals(along with 32 assists). Securing him the Jay McDonald win, as well as 1st All Star. He was 2nd in scoring.
S40 was the last great season for Eriksson. Scoring 26 goals, 33 assists for 59 points, he was 4th in scoring for that season. S41 he displayed another solid season under his belt. With 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points. That was his last good/great season.

His 21st season, he was finally slowing down again, he dipped under 30 points for the first time since S22. Only scoring 29 points in S42. For this career, he had 465 goals, 498 assists for 953 points. Right behind him in everything though, was Esa Anrikkanen with 463 goals, 499 assists for 962 points. Both players are still active, both chasing to be the first player to hit 1000 career points.

S43 saw Eriksson with only 20 points, and Anrikkanen had 32. Eriksson had 983 points while Anrikkanen had 994. Things were looking dire for him to be the first player to reach 1000 points.

Game 1 in S44 saw both of them get 0 points. 2nd game was Eriksson get his first point of the season. Game 4 saw him get his 2nd. Game 5 saw him get his 3rd and 4th points of the season. Esa managed to get his first point of the season during game 7. Where Eriksson got his 5th. Game 9 & 10 Eriksson is quickly closing the game. Getting his 6th,7th, and 8th point of the season. In 10 games Eriksson is quickly closing the game. 991 points to Esa’s 995.

Game 11&12 they both didn't score. Game 13&14 Eriksson scored his 9th and 10th points of the season. 993 to 995 points. Only 2 points behind. Game 16 saw Esa get his 2nd point of the season. Eriksson went on a 5 game pointless streak. From games 15->19. In that span, Esa scored 2 more points in game 19. 994 to 998. Esa only 2 points away from being the first player to reach 1000 points.

However it wasnt meant to be. Game 20 Eriksson got another point. Game 21 saw Eriksson go back to his old self. 3 points in that to be 997 points to 998 points. Only 1 point behind. Game 22 secured who got to 1000 points first….

Game 22 Eriksson duplicated his efforts! Another 3 point game! Eriksson made it to 1000 points first, and right on the dot. 1000 points to 998. 22 games into S44. Esa would end up breaking 1000 points at game 26 of the season. Just 4 games separated on who was the first player to reach 1000 points first.

S44 was his final season however, scoring 29 points, 17 of those in the first 22 games in order to get to 1000 points first. With that he retired, with 1012 points. At the end being tied for most goals in a career with 489. Tied with Esa as he managed to end S44 on the strong side of 11 goals 13 assists for 24 points. Eriksson wasn't able to hold onto the lead. At the end of S44 Esa now led the league in points. 1015 points for Esa, 1012 for Eriksson.

Being the first player to reach 1000 points. Ending up being 2nd in points until S62. Until the FHM fiends of Tony Pepperoni and Aaron wilson were able to surpass him. He might have not won the number of awards that other players had on the top 75 so far. But he was an elite player for a long time. A top 25 player for at least a decade. And a top 10 player for another 6 or 7. Playing 23 seasons, he finished with 1012 points in 1208 games played. A .83 PPG. The consistency throughout his career was second to none at that time, maybe only to Alonzo Garbanzo, who is considered one of the best defenseman ever in the SHL. Eriksson is in great company.

[Image: U2Qmt6C.png]

***Ohtaay*** · 03-06-2024, 11:45 AM

legend!

ToeDragon84 · 03-06-2024, 10:36 PM

raymond3000 · 03-07-2024, 12:24 AM

Agh, so close to the top 10! Can't wait to see how the rest of the list shakes out!

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