Vancouver Canucks to add Thomas Gradin to Ring of Honour

For a hockey team that has had such strong ties to Sweden over the years, it’s only fitting that the Canucks will make Thomas Gradin the third member of their Ring of Honour.

Not only did Gradin blaze the trail for countrymen like Patrik Sundstrom, Mattias Ohlund, Markus Naslund, and Daniel and Henrik Sedin to leave Sweden to play in the National Hockey League, but now as a Canucks scout, Gradin can also take credit for finding Alexander Edler who was toiling in a Swedish junior league before making the jump to the NHL.

Gradin wore Canuck colours for 616 games from 1978 through 1986 and is still the franchise’s sixth leading scorer (197 + 353 = 550). A big part of the team’s first run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1982, Gradin centred a line with Stan Smyl and Curt Fraser.

In 38 career playoff games, Gradin registered 17 + 21 = 38, making him only one of a handful of players in franchise history to produce at a point-a-game pace in the post-season. He has been a member of the Canucks scouting staff since 1994.

Gradin will take his spot in the newly formed Canucks Ring of Honour prior to the team’s January 24 home game against former Canucks coach—and Gradin’s former Canuck teammate—Marc Crawford and the Dallas Stars.

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